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4 2 . A BREEDING ECOLOGY OF THE ENDANGERED P A L I L A ( P S I T T I R O S T R A B A I L L E U I ) ON MAUNA KEA, H A W A I ' I

4 3 . A SURVEY SHOWING THE E F F E C T OF ENVIRONMENT AND BEHAVIOR UPON P A R A S I T E LEVELS I N THE H A W A I ' I 'AMAKIHI (LOXOPS V I R E N S ) (AVES: DREPANIDIDAE)

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A B R E E D I N G ECOLOGY OF THE ENDANGERED PALILA (PSITTIROSTM B A I L L E U I ) ON MAUNA KEA, H A W A I ' I

ABSTRACT

The b e h a v i o r a l e c o l o g y and b r e e d i n g b i o l o g y o f t h e endange red P a l i l a ( P s i t t i r o s t r a b a i l l e u i ) was s t u d i e d from 1971 t o 1975 . The most i n t e n s i v e b r e e d i n g o c c u r r e d from J u n e t o Augus t , and c o i n c i d e d w i t h peak p r o d u c t i o n o f mzmane ( S o p h o r a c h r y s o p h y l l a ) s e e d s , t h e b i r d ' s major food s o u r c e . The P a l i l a was a b l e t o make a d j u s t m e n t s i n i t s b r e e d i n g t o compensa te f o r y e a r l y d i f f e r e n - t i a t i o n i n t h e t i m i n g and abundance o f t h i s food s u p p l y .

S e x u a l c h a s i n g and c o u r t s h i p f e e d i n g were t h e mos t f r e - q u e n t l y e n c o u n t e r e d p r e - n e s t i n g b e h a v i o r s . T e r r i t o r y was a mate- d e f e n d e d a r e a , which l a t e r i n t h e n e s t i n g s e q u e n c e was c o n f i n e d t o t h e n e s t s i t e . A t o t a l o f 26 n e s t s was found ; mos t were p l a c e d on l a r g e r b r a n c h e s o f mBmane t r e e s . N e s t c o n s t r u c t i o n o c c u r r e d p r i m a r i l y i n t h e morning h o u r s and l a s t e d up t o 20 d a y s . Both s e x e s t ook p a r t i n n e s t c o n s t r u c t i o n , a l b e i t t h e male r o l e was min imal . U n l e s s t h e n e s t was p l a c e d i n t h e t e r m i n a l f o r k o f a t r e e , i t u s u a l l y c o n t a i n e d a l a r g e s t i c k b a s e .

The modal c l u t c h s i z e was two; e g g s were l a i d e a r l y i n t h e morning and i n a l l c a s e s one p e r day . I n c u b a t i o n somet imes began w i t h t h e f i r s t egg and l a s t e d 1 5 t o 16 d a y s . Only t h e f e m a l e i n c u b a t e d , and s h e cove red t h e e g g s f o r a b o u t 75% of t h e d a y l i g h t h o u r s and t h r o u g h o u t t h e n i g h t . Egg h a t c h i n g was a s y n c h r o n o u s , w i t h t h e f i r s t young emerging e a r l y i n t h e morning and t h e second n o t u n t i l l a t e r t h a t same d a y .

Only t h e f e m a l e b rooded , and t h e r a t e d e c l i n e d u n t i l d a y 1 5 when e s s e n t i a l l y i t s t o p p e d . Both p a r e n t s f e d t h e young by r e g u r g i t a t i o n , and t h e number o f f e e d i n g s p e r hour d e c r e a s e d s l i g h t l y o v e r t h e n e s t l i n g p e r i o d . I t i s t h o u g h t t h a t i n s e c t s and f i n e l y m a s t i c a t e d p l a n t m a t e r i a l formed t h e b u l k o f t h e n e s t - l i n g d i e t u n t i l a b o u t d a y 5 when mgmane s e e d s became i m p o r t a n t . H e l p e r s were found a t one n e s t . Young d e v e l o p e d s l o w l y and d i d n o t l e a v e t h e n e s t u n t i l 21 t o 27 d a y s o l d . I t i s b e l i e v e d t h a t t h e s e p ro longed n e s t l i n g p e r i o d s were a b l e t o e v o l v e b e c a u s e o f t h e ( f o r m e r ) a b s e n c e o f g round p r e d a t o r s . A f t e r f l e d g i n g , young remained w i t h t h e i r p a r e n t s f o r a t l e a s t 30 d a y s .

P r o d u c t i v i t y was r e g u l a t e d by s m a l l c l u t c h s i z e , low popu la - t i o n numbers , and by t h e l e n g t h o f an i n d i v i d u a l n e s t i n g s e q u e n c e ( i n t h a t a p a i r c o u l d p o t e n t i a l l y r a i s e o n l y one brood e a c h y e a r ) . The p r i m a r y r e a s o n f o r t h e endange red s t a t u s o f t h i s b i r d a p p e a r s t o be t h e e f f e c t o f h a b i t a t a l t e r a t i o n upon a s p e c i a l i s t , c o u p l e d w i t h t h e f a c t t h a t t h e s m a l l e f f e c t i v e b r e e d i n g popu la - t i o n and low d i s p e r s a b i l i t y o f t h e s p e c i e s may have r e s u l t e d i n d e c r e a s e d g e n e t i c f i t n e s s .

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LIST OF TABLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LISTOFFIGURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MATERIALS AND METHODS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RESULTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I . H i s t o r i c a l Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I1 . P o p u l a t i o n P a r a m e t e r s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

P o p u l a t i o n S t r u c t u r e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Length o f t h e Breed ing Season . . . . . . . . . . . P a t t e r n s o f Molt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Weight P a t t e r n s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Feed ing H a b i t s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . V o c a l i z a t i o n s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I11 . Breed ing B i o l o g y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C o u r t s h i p Behav io r and D i s p l a y s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . T e r r i t o r y The Nest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Eggs and C l u t c h S i z e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I n c u b a t i o n P e r i o d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N e s t l i n g P e r i o d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P a r e n t a l Care o f t h e Young . . . . . . . . . . . . . N e s t l i n g Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F l e d g i n g of Young . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R e p r o d u c t i v e S u c c e s s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS . Timing and Length o f Major Breed ing E f f o r t . . . . . . . . . N e s t l i n g Growth and M o r t a l i t y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R e p r o d u c t i v e S u c c e s s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C o n c l u s i o n s on Abundance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SUMMARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LITERATURE CITED . . . . . . e m . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

LIST OF TABLES

T a b l e

1 C a p t u r e and s u b s e q u e n t s i g h t i n g s o f marked P a l i l a a n Mauna Kea, H a w a i ' i . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2 Types of f o o d P a l i l a were o b s e r v e d e a t i n g d u r i n g 152 d a y s o f o b s e r v a t i o n on Mauna K e a , H a w a i 1 i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3 P a l i l a c o u r t s h i p f e e d i n g r a t e s t h r o u g h o u t t h e n e s t i n g c y c l e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4 Developmenta l p a t t e r n s i n young P a l i l a . . . . . . . . 5 Development o f f e a t h e r t r a c t s i n P a l i l a n e s t l i n g s . . . 6 Summary o f P a l i l a n e k t h i s t o r i e s f rom

1971 t o 1975 on Maunh Kea, H a w a i ' i . . . . . . . . . .

LIST OF FIGURES

F i g u r e

1 The i s l a n d o f H a w a i l i showing s t u d y s i t e s on Mauna Kea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2 The y e a r l y m o l t p a t t e r n i n t h e P a l i l a a s r e c o r d e d from s i x banded b i r d s , 36 museum s k i n s , and f i e l d o b s e r v a t i o n s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3 The d a i l y song c y c l e o f t h e P a l i l a on Mauna Kea, H a w a i l i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4 T e r r i t o r i a l e n c o u n t e r s and p roposed boundary d u r i n g n e s t b u i l d i n g and e a r l y i n c u b a t i o n a t P a l i l a n e s t 5-73. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5 The r e l a t i o n s h i p be tween 26 P a l i l a n e s t h e i g h t s and n e s t - t r e e h e i g h t s i n mZ'mane and n a i o t r e e s on Mauna Kea, H a w a i ' i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6 P a l i l a a t t e n t i v e n e s s d u r i n g i n c u b a t i o n a s measured a t s i x n e s t s d u r i n g 1 4 1 h o u r s o f o b s e r v a t i o n . . . . .

7 Frequency of egg t u r n i n g by f e m a l e P a l i l a a s measured a t s i x n e s t s d u r i n g 87 h o u r s o f o b s e r v a t i o n .

8 P a l i l a b r o o d i n g r a t e a s measured a t f o u r n e s t s d u r i n g 211 h o u r s o f o b s e r v a t i o n . . . . . . . . . . . .

9 The number o f h o u r l y f e e d i n g s e s s i o n s a t a n e s t f o r e a c h n e s t l i n g by male and f ema le P a l i l a a s measured a t f o u r n e s t s d u r i n g 222 h o u r s o f o b s e r v a t i o n . . . . . . . . . . . .

10 P a l i l a n e s t and young w i t h f e c a l a c c u m u l a t i o n e v i d e n t on t h e n e s t r im. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11 D a i l y n e s t l i n g w e i g h t s o f P a l i l a young from s e v e n n e s t l i n g s a t f o u r n e s t s . . . . . . . . . .

1 2 Comparison o f t h e P a l i l a b r e e d i n g s e a s o n w i t h m o l t and mzmane pod p r o d u c t i o n . . . . . . . . . .

INTRODUCTION

A p l e t h o r a o f p l a n t s and a n i m a l s have been i n t r o d u c e d by man i n t o t h e Hawaiian I s l a n d s , and some o f t h e s e have had a profound i n f l u e n c e upon n a t i v e o r g a n i s m s . Today, a p p r o x i m a t e l y 40% of t h e endemic Hawaiian b i r d s p e c i e s a r e t h o u g h t t o b e e x t i n c t , and many o f t h e s u r v i v o r s c l i n g t o a t e n u o u s e x i s t e n c e . The re s t i l l r ema in , however , a few endemic s t r o n g h o l d s , o n e b e i n g t h e eco- sys t em on t h e upper s l o p e s o f Mauna Kea, which p r o v i d e s h a b i t a t f o r an endange red Hawaiian h o n e y c r e e p e r , t h e ~ a l i l a sitt ti rostra b a i l l e u i ) .

P r e s e n t l y t h i s ecosys t em on Mauna Kea is , l i k e s o many o t h e r n a t i v e Hawaiian f o r e s t s , t h r e a t e n e d . H a b i t a t d e g r a d a t i o n h a s been e x t e n s i v e , p r i m a r i l y b e c a u s e o f ove rb rows ing by i n t r o d u c e d f e r a l s h e e p , and l i t t l e work h a s been c a r r i e d o u t c o n c e r n i n g t h e e f f e c t s o f h a b i t a t a l t e r a t i o n on endemic o r g a n i s m s . Here was an o p p o r t u n i t y t o p r o v i d e some o f t h e needed a n s w e r s c o n c e r n i n g t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p s o f t h e p a l i l a w i t h i t s env i ronmen t . w i t h t h i s i n mind a s t u d y o f i t s b r e e d i n g e c o l o g y w i t h t h e f o l l o w i n g o b j e c - t i v e s a s g u i d e l i n e s was u n d e r t a k e n :

To d e f i n e p a r a m e t e r s o f t h e e n v i r o n m e n t ( c l i m a t e , f o r e s t c o m p o s i t i o n , pheno logy , and p r o d u c t i v i t y o f major t r e e s p e c i e s ) and u n d e r s t a n d how t h e y r e l a t e t o t h e b i o l o g y o f t h e b i r d s i n t e r m s o f time o f b r e e d i n g s e a s o n and p o p u l a t i o n r e g u l a t i o n ;

To d e f i n e t h e b r e e d i n g b i o l o g y o f t h e P a l i l a ;

To d e t e r m i n e g e n e r a l p a t t e r n s o f p o p u l a t i o n r e g u l a t i o n .

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From l a t e 1970 t h r o u g h 1975 I s p e n t 757 d a y s on Mauna Kea, w i t h a p p r o x i m a t e l y 6100 o b s e r v a t i o n a l h o u r s ; d u r i n g t h e l a s t t h r e e y e a r s o b s e r v a t i o n s were made i n e v e r y month. S tudy s i tes were e s t a b l i s h e d a t 1980 , 2130, and 2290 m i n t h e Ka 'ohe and Mauna Kea Game Management Areas a t Pu t u ~ Z ' a u ( F i g . 1) . A d u l t b i r d s were c a p t u r e d i n m i s t n e t s and marked w i t h U . S. F i s h and W i l d l i f e S e r v i c e m e t a l and c o l o r e d p l a s t i c bands . N e s t l i n g s were weighed d a i l y ; f e a t h e r t r a c t s and p h y s i c a l deve lopmen t were de- s c r i b e d from p h o t o g r a p h s . O b s e r v a t i o n s made i n t h e f i e l d ( e s p e - c i a l l y a t n e s t s ) i n c l u d e d d a t a on i n c u b a t i o n rhythm, b rood ing r a t e s , f e e d i n g o f young, f l e d g i n g o f young, n e s t s a n i t a t i o n , c o u r t s h i p b e h a v i o r and d i s p l a y s , and v o c a l i z a t i o n s .

N e s t measurements i n c l u d e d n e s t h e i g h t ( d i s t a n c e from ground t o n e s t b a s e ) , n e s t - t r e e h e i g h t and s p e c i e s , c i r c u m f e r e n c e a t b r e a s t h e i g h t ( C B H ) o f n e s t t r e e ( 1 . 4 m from g r o u n d ) , d i s t a n c e o f n e s t from a x i s o f t r u n k t o end o f b r a n c h , n e s t p l a c e m e n t w i t h i n t h e t r e e ( t e r m i n a l fo rk - - l imbs t h a t formed t h e mos t d i s t a n t g r o u p o f stems from t h e t r u n k i n t h e t opmos t 20% o f canopy ; l a t e r a l fork--end c l u s t e r s o f l i m b s i n r ema in ing canopy; branch--any h o r i z o n t a l o r v e r t i c a l l i m b w i t h i n t h e canopy c o v e r ) , n e s t dimen- s i o n s ( n e s t h e i g h t and w i d t h , bowl d e p t h and d i a m e t e r , r im t h i c k - n e s s ) , and n e s t w e i g h t . The l o n g and s h o r t a x i s o f e a c h egg was measu red , and egg s h a p e index was c a l c u l a t e d on t h e b a s i s o f t h e f o l l o w i n g :

lesser e g g d i a m e t e r Egg Shape I n d e x = - g r e a t e r e g g d i a m e t e r

Annual p r o d u c t i v i t y was c a l c u l a t e d i n d i r e c t l y from c l u t c h s i z e , b r e e d i n g s u c c e s s , l e n g t h o f n e s t c y c l e , and l e n g t h o f b r e e d i n g s e a s o n by t h e e q u a t i o n :

P r o d u c t i v i t y = ' ' N

where C = c l u t c h s i z e , B = l e n g t h o f b r e e d i n g s e a s o n i n d a y s , S = b r e e d i n g s u c c e s s ( . p r o p o r t i o n of e g g s l a i d t h a t f l e d g e y o u n g ) , and N = l e n g t h o f n e s t c y c l e i n d a y s . Length o f t h e b r e e d i n g s e a s o n was c o n s i d e r e d t h e a v e r a g e number o f d a y s p e r y e a r when a c t i v e n e s t s were found (160 d a y s ) . Length o f t h e n e s t c y c l e was:

where b = n e s t b u i l d i n g i n t e r v a l ( 1 8 d a y s ) , 1 = number of d a y s f o r egg l a y i n g ( 2 d a y s ) , y = i n c u b a t i o n p e r i o d ( 1 6 d a y s ) , n = n e s t l i n g p e r i o d ( 2 4 . 8 d a y s ) , and f = f l e d g l i n g p e r i o d ( 3 0 + d a y s ) . I t took a b o u t 9 1 d a y s f o r t h e P a l i l a t o c o m p l e t e one s u c c e s s f u l n e s t c y c l e . To d e t e r m i n e t h e number o f young produced p e r u n i t a r e a o f f o r e s t , t h e f o l l o w i n g f o r m u l a was used :

where P = r e l a t i v e p r o d u c t i v i t y and D = d e n s i t y o f b r e e d i n g b i r d s . T h i s was t h e n d i v i d e d i n h a l f t o a c c o u n t f o r p a i r s and m o d i f i e d a c c o r d i n g t o t h e a p p r o x i m a t e p e r c e n t a g e s o f f l o a t e r s i n t h e p o p u l a t i o n w i t h t h e f o l l o w i n g :

where d = o b s e r v e d p o p u l a t i o n d e n s i t y and z = p e r c e n t a g e o f popu- l a t i o n n o t f l o a t i n g , which i n t h e P a l i l a i s a p p r o x i m a t e l y 0 .8 .

Weather d a t a were c o l l e c t e d a t t h e 2290 m s t u d y s i t e . Tempera tu re was r e c o r d e d w i t h two maximum-minimum the rmomete r s , one under t h e t r e e canopy and one i n t h e open . Data o b t a i n e d from t h e N a t i o n a l Weather S e r v i c e were used f o r mon th ly r a i n f a l l

a n a l y s i s . Wind d i r e c t i o n and p e r c e n t c l o u d c o v e r were n o t e d d a i l y i n f i e l d r e c o r d s . P h e n o l o g i c a l p a r a m e t e r s o f t h e f l o r a a r e r e p o r t e d e l s e w h e r e ( v a n R i p e r 1 9 8 0 ) , a s a r e r e s u l t s o f p r e d a t i o n ( v a n R ipe r 1 9 7 8 ) .

RESULTS

I. H i s t o r i c a l Overview

The P a l i l a was f i r s t c o l l e c t e d i n t h e Kona D i s t r i c t o f H a w a i ' i by B a i l l e u i n 1876 , and was d e s c r i b e d s c i e n t i f i c a l l y by O u s t a l e t ( 1 8 7 7 ) , who named t h e s p e c i e s L o x i o i d e s b a i l l e u i . Amadon ( 1 9 5 0 ) r e v i s e d t h e c l a s s i f i c a t i o n o f t h e ~ a w a i i a n honey- c r e e p e r s and p l a c e d t h e b i r d i n t h e s u b f a m i l y ~ s i t t i r o s t r i n a e a s o n e o f t h e s i x s p e c i e s o f t h e f i n c h - b i l l e d g e n u s P s i t t i r o s t r a .

H i s t o r i c a l l y t h e r a n q e o f t h e P a l i l a i n c l u d e d o n l y t h e mzmane ( ~ o p h o r a - c h r y s o p h y l l a ( S a l i s b . ) Seem. ) and m ~ m a n e - n a i o (Myoporum sandwicense Gray) e c o s y s t e m s o f Mauna Kea, H u a l g l a i , and t h e s o u t h w e s t e r n s l o p e o f Mauna Loa. I t h a s n e v e r b e e n - r e p o r t e d from t h e f o r e s t on t h e e a s t e r n s l o p e o f Mauna Loa. The b i r d was a p p a r e n t l y l i m i t e d t o t h e upper f o r e s t r e g i o n s a s P e r k i n s ( 1 9 0 3 ) found it o n l y f rom 1220 m t o 1830 m on ~ u a l s l a i . Wi l son and Evans (1890-1899) l i k e w i s e r e p o r t e d it a s b e i n g con- f i n e d t o up l and d i s t r i c t s o f H u a l z l a i and Mauna Kea. T h i s r a n g e h a s been g r e a t l y r e d u c e d s i n c e t h e t u r n o f t h e c e n t u r y , and a l l a v a i l a b l e i n f o r m a t i o n t o d a y i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e P a l i l a is found o n l y i n t h e mzmane-naio e c o s y s t e m on p a r t s o f Mauna Kea. A r e c e n t c e n s u s e s t i m a t e d t h e p r e s e n t p o p u l a t i o n t o b e from 1500 t o 1700 i n d i v i d u a l s ( v a n Ri,per e t a l . 1 9 7 8 ) . The P a l i l a i s l i m i t e d t o o n l y 10% (5560 h a ) o f i t s fo rmer r a n g e a t d e n s i t i e s o f approx- i m a t e l y 37 b i r d s p e r 100 h a .

11. P o p u l a t i o n P a r a m e t e r s

P q p u l a t i o n . - - ~ a l i l a we re s t u d i e d m a i n l y a t 2290 m , t h a t a r e a w i t h t h e h i g h e s t d e n s i t y o f b i r d s ( v a n R i p e r e t a l . 1 9 7 8 ) . T h i s p o p u l a t i o n c o n s i s t e d o f a d u l t s and j u v e n i l e s moving i n s m a l l f l o c k s d u r i n g t h e n o n b r e e d i n g s e a s o n ( O c t o b e r t o A p r i l ) , and b r e e d i n g p a i r s a round mamane pod c o n c e n t r a t i o n s f rom May t o Sep tember . F i f t e e n a d u l t s and 1 0 n e s t l i n g s were c o l o r banded ( T a b l e 1 ) .

A d u l t P a l i l a c o u l d b e s exed by p lumage d imorph i sm, b u t i t was o f t e n d i f f i c u l t t o d i f f e r e n t i a t e be tween immature and f e m a l e b i r d s e x c e p t by t h e p r e s e n c e o r a b s e n c e o f a b rood p a t c h . T h e r e were more m a l e s t h a n f e m a l e s i n t h e p o p u l a t i o n . A t o n e n e s t i n 1974 , f o u r unmated m a l e s were p r e s e n t and s i n g i n g on t h e p e r i p h - e r y o f t h e t e r r i t o r y t h r o u g h o u t t h e e n t i r e n e s t - b u i l d i n g p e r i o d . One o f t h e m a l e s was banded , and a l s o remained unmated t h e f o l - lowing s e a s o n . A s u r p l u s o f n o n b r e e d i n g b i r d s i s a l s o s u g g e s t e d

by t h e p r e s e n c e o f h e l p e r s a t one n e s t . Amadon ( 1 9 5 0 ) , i n h i s s e x - r a t i o a n a l y s i s o f museum spec imens , l ikewise found a d i s - p a r i t y o f ma le t o f e m a l e b i r d s .

L e n s t h o f t h e Breed ing Season . - -Act ive P a l i l a n e s t s were r e c o r d e d from March t h r o u g h September w i t h young f l e d g i n g from May to Sep tember ; t h e mos t i n t e n s e b r e e d i n g o c c u r r e d from J u n e t o August (Appendix I ) . R e n e s t i n g was neve r o b s e r v e d b u t i t may o c c u r e s p e c i a l l y i f t h e f i r s t n e s t is u n s u c c e s s f u l . A p o s s i b l e a t t e m p t was made by o n e p a i r , b u t t h e y were n o t co lo r -banded u n t i l t h e second n e s t had been s t a r t e d . A n e s t i n g c y c l e t a k e s a t l e a s t 90 d a y s , which may l i m i t t h e b i r d s t o o n l y o n e s u c c e s s f u l b rood e a c h y e a r .

P a t t e r n s o f Molt . - -Molt ing p a t t e r n s were examined f o r a l l cap- t u r e d i n d i v i d u a l s and o b s e r v a t i o n s were made o f museum spec imens . Amadon ( 1 9 5 0 ) n o t e d t h a t t h e m o l t i n g p e r i o d f o r t h e P a l i l a and o t h e r s p e c i e s o f P s i t t i r o s t r a was u s u a l l y l a t e r t h a n f o r o t h e r members o f t h e s u b f a m i l y P s i t t i r o s t r i n a e . Mol t o c c u r r e d from l a t e May u n t i l e a r l y ~ e c e m b e r ( F i g . 2 ) , a n d , o f t h r e e b i r d s cap- t u r e d w h i l e n e s t i n g , two were i n m o l t . Baldwin ( 1 9 5 3 ) showed t h a t d r e p a n i d i d s have l o n g e r p e r i o d s o f m o l t t h a n Nor th American b i r d s . These o b s e r v a t i o n s s u b s t a n t i a t e and e x t e n d h i s l i m i t s .

Weiqht Pat terns . - -When ma le and f e m a l e P a l i l a were viewed t o - g e t h e r i n t h e f i e l d , t h e l a t t e r a p p e a r e d s m a l l e r , a l t h o u g h t h i s was n o t r e f l e c t e d i n w e i g h t . L i v e w e i g h t s were r e c o r d e d f o r e i g h t a d u l t b i r d s , g i v i n g a mean o f 39.1 g f o r m a l e s and 40.0 g f o r f e m a l e s . The h i g h e r f e m a l e w e i g h t may b e due i n p a r t t o one i n d i v i d u a l c a p t u r e d i n J u l y 1973 which weighed 45.5 g ; a n o t h e r n e t t e d i n March 1974 we igh ing 37.4 g ; and one c a p t u r e d i n August 1974 which weighed 37 .1 g . Males weighed 43 .5 , 35 .5 , 37.5, 38.6, and 4 0 . 6 g .

Feed ing Habits.--Munro ( 1 9 4 4 ) r e p o r t e d t h a t ~ a l i l a f e d on n a i o f r u i t when t h e y were g r e e n and s t i l l s o f t . I n t h i s s t u d y t h e y a t e o n l y r i p e w h i t e f r u i t , t h a t p o r t i o n e a t e n b e i n g t h e s o f t e x t e r i o r ( p o s s i b l y f o r m o i s t u r e c o n t e n t ) and t h e r e s t d i s c a r d e d . However, t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f mgmane i n t h e P a l i l a d i e t c a n n o t b e ove remphas i zed . Wi lson and Evans (1890-1899) , P e r k i n s ( 1 8 9 3 ) , R o t h s c h i l d (1893-1900) , Munro ( 1 9 4 4 ) , and Berge r ( 1 9 7 2 ) a l l r e p o r t e d a p r e d i l e c t i o n f o r g r e e n s e e d pods o f t h e mzmane t r e e . Berger ( 1 9 7 2 ) a l s o r e p o r t e d t h a t t h e P a l i l a a t e f l o w e r s and d r y , brown s e e d pods . Palmer ( i n R o t h s c h i l d 1893-1900: 1 9 8 ) saw it o n c e e a t a g r e e n ' a 1 aka ( n a i o ) s e e d , a s w e l l a s v a r i o u s b e r r i e s . I n a d d i t i o n t o s e e d s and f l o w e r s , t h e b i r d consumes c a t e r p i l l a r s and o t h e r l a r v a e ( P e r k i n s 1903: 4 3 6 ) . The P a l i l a d i e t was moni- t o r e d t h r o u g h v i s u a l o b s e r v a t i o n s o v e r a two-year p e r i o d ; mgmane was t h e ma jo r food ( p a r t i c u l a r l y g r e e n pods and f l o w e r s ) w i t h t h e b i r d a l s o t a k i n g n a i o f r u i t s and i n s e c t s ( T a b l e 2 ) .

The t e c h n i q u e employed i n f e e d i n g on mgmane pods was p re - d i c t a b l e . The b i r d would r i p open t h e pod and b i t e t h e s e e d s o u t . The s e e d s were b i t t e n i n h a l f and s i n c e t h e y were n o t m a t u r e , i t was u n l i k e l y s e e d s were d i s p e r s e d i n t h i s manner. ~ z m a n e s e e d d i s p e r s a l was p r o b a b l y accompl i shed by t h e b i r d c a r r y i n g a pod t o an a d j a c e n t a r e a , e a t i n g p a r t , and t h e n drop- p i n g t h e r e s t o f t h e s e e d s o n t o t h e g r o u n d , a f r e q u e n t l y o b s e r v e d o c c u r r e n c e .

Al though t h e r e were many g r e e n pods on a t r e e a p p a r e n t l y n o t a l l were p o t e n t i a l food . Because t h e b i r d is f a i r l y l a r g e , i t was u n a b l e t o o b t a i n pods t h a t hung from s m a l l e r b r a n c h e s . P e a r s o n ( 1 9 7 1 ) found i n C e n t r a l America t h a t t h e l a r g e r body s i z e o f a b i r d e x c l u d e d s e v e r a l s p e c i e s from t h e d e n s e r f o l i a g e and s m a l l e r b r a n c h e s . I t may b e t h a t t r e e s i z e i n f l u e n c e d P a l i l a d i s t r i b u t i o n a s t h e y were found i n g r e a t e r numbers a t t h e 2290 m s t u d y a r e a where mzmane t r e e s were s i g n i f i c a n t l y l a r g e r ( v a n R ipe r 1975; van Riper e t a l . 1 9 7 8 ) .

P a l i l a u s u a l l y f e d on i n s e c t s by s l o w l y g l e a n i n g o v e r a t r e e t r u n k o r by gnawing a t a b r a n c h and working o f f t h e o u t e r b a r k . On one o c c a s i o n a b i r d t r i e d t o hawk an i n s e c t , b u t i t mis sed by a c o n s i d e r a b l e d i s t a n c e . I n s e c t l a r v a e may a l s o have been o b t a i n e d from i n f e c t e d mZmane pods . La rge numbers o f t h e f a m i l y T o r t r i c i d a e ( t h r e e s p e c i e s o f t h e g e n u s Adenonema) were o b s e r v e d i n young s e e d s . I n a n a l y s i s o f 385 p o d s , 7% o f t h e s e e d s were i n f e c t e d w i t h t h e s e l a r v a e .

v o c a l i z a t i o n s . - - T h e P a l i l a had two s o n g s : a p r i m a r y song g i v e n by t h e ma le and e x t e n d e d subsong g i v e n by e i t h e r s e x . The re were a v a r i e t y o f c a l l s and l o c a t i o n n o t e s g i v e n d u r i n g f o r a g i n g , c o u r t s h i p i n t e r a c t i o n s , and d i s t r e s s s i t u a t i o n s . T h e r e was no f l y i n g p r e d a t o r c a l l . S i n g i n g g r a d u a l l y d e c r e a s e d o v e r t h e b r e e d i n g c y c l e , and b i r d s s ang more d u r i n g e a r l y morning h o u r s and j u s t b e f o r e noon ( F i g . 3 ) . Weather had a marked i n f l u e n c e o n t h e f r e q u e n c y o f v o c a l i z a t i o n . Whenever a r e g i o n became b l a n k e t e d i n f o g , c a l l i n g would i n c r e a s e . C a l l i n g c o n t i n u e d d u r i n g l i g h t r a i n s a t a s l i g h t l y h i g h e r t h a n normal r a t e , b u t i f p r e c i p i t a t i o n i n c r e a s e d f u r t h e r a l m o s t a l l c a l l i n g c e a s e d . wind , a l t h o u g h i n f r e q u e n t , seemed t o c a u s e a r e d u c t i o n i n t h e amount o f c a l l i n g .

111. Breed ing B i o l o g y

C o u r t s h i p Behavior and D i s p l a y s . - - P a i r i n g p r o b a b l y o c c u r r e d p r i o r t o t h e b r e e d i n g s e a s o n . A low a d v e r t i s i n g f l i g h t , g i v e n by t h e ma le , was c h a r a c t e r i z e d by a s low f l u t t e r i n g o f wings f o l l o w e d w i t h a s h o r t g l i d e . S e x u a l c h a s i n g was e i t h e r a low r a p i d s t r a i g h t - l i n e c h a s e o r h i g h r a p i d f l i g h t . Chases o c c u r r e d m a i n l y d u r i n g t h e e a r l y b r e e d i n g s e a s o n ( A p r i l t o May) b u t one s u c h f l i g h t was o b s e r v e d i n December. Chas ing p r o b a b l y was i m p o r t a n t a s a means o f s y n c h r o n i z i n g t h e s e x u a l c y c l e and b r i n g i n g b i r d s i n t o b r e e d i n g c o n d i t i o n .

P a l i l a f r e q u e n t l y c o u r t s h i p f e d , w i t h t h e s e q u e n c e i n i t i a t e d by e i t h e r s e x . T h i s b e h a v i o r u s u a l l y i n v o l v e d v o c a l i z a t i o n s and wing q u i v e r i n g by t h e f e m a l e a f t e r which t h e ma le f e d h e r . I n t h e n e s t i n g c y c l e c o u r t s h i p f e e d i n g was mos t common d u r i n g incu- b a t i o n ( T a b l e 3 ) . From l a t e i n c u b a t i o n t o t h e end o f t h e n e s t i n g c y c l e , c o u r t s h i p f e e d i n g became more r i t u a l i z e d and was o f t e n r e p l a c e d by mutua l b i l l i n g where t h e b i r d s t ouched b i l l s from s i d e t o s i d e b u t no food was exchanged .

T e r r i t o r y . - - T h e t e r r i t o r y o f t h e P a l i l a i s b e s t d e s c r i b e d a s a "mate de fended a rea ' ' b e c a u s e m a l e s e x c l u d e d a l l c o n s p e c i f i c s from n e a r t h e f e m a l e e s p e c i a l l y e a r l y i n t h e c y c l e . De fense i n c l u d e d song and d i r e c t c h a s e ( r a r e l y c law- to-c law c o m b a t ) , w i t h t h e former more i m p o r t a n t d u r i n g i n i t i a l e s t a b l i s h m e n t and c h a s e assuming a g r e a t e r r o l e a f t e r n e s t b u i l d i n g . For example , a t n e s t 5-73 on t h e t h i r d d a y of n e s t b u i l d i n g , t h e male f o l l o w e d and c h a s e d o t h e r P a l i l a f rom t h e v i c i n i t y w h i l e t h e f e m a l e c o l - l e c t e d m a t e r i a l . From 0730 t o 0930 h o u r s t h e f e m a l e made 19 t r i p s f o r n e s t i n g m a t e r i a l and was accompanied 1 3 t i m e s by t h e m a l e , who c h a s e d i n t r u d e r s on n i n e o c c a s i o n s . A s t h e n e s t i n g c y c l e p r o g r e s s e d and i n c u b a t i o n began , d e f e n s e s h i f t e d t o t h e a r e a a round t h e n e s t . Females c h a s e d o t h e r b i r d s much less t h a n m a l e s , and a g g r e s s i o n was c l o s e r t o t h e n e s t s i t e ( F i g . 4 ) . These t e r r i t o r i e s , o r t h e a r e a bounded by t h e o u t e r m o s t p o i n t s o f a g g r e s s i o n w i t h n e i g h b o r i n g P a l i l a , i n c l u d e d 3900 m 2 and 600 m2 a t n e s t 5-73 and 1-73 , r e s p e c t i v e l y . Only t h r e e c a s e s o f i n t e r - s p e c i f i c a g g r e s s i o n were o b s e r v e d , a l l a t one n e s t on t h e d a y o f h a t c h i n g ; s p e c i e s c h a s e d were t h e J a p a n e s e White-eye ( Z o s t e r o p s i a p o n i c u s ) , ' Amakihi (Loxops v i r e n s ) , and ' E l e p a i o ( C h a s i e m p i s s a n d w i c h e n s i s ) .

When young f l e d g e d , t h e t e r r i t o r y was abandoned and b i r d s j o i n e d s m a l l f e e d i n g f l o c k s which c e n t e r e d a c t i v i t y a round a f e e d i n g a r e a r a t h e r t h a n a n e s t s i t e . L i t t l e a g g r e s s i o n was n o t e d i n t h e s e f e e d i n g c o n g r e g a t i o n s . P a l i l a would r e t u r n t o t h e same a r e a t o n e s t y e a r a f t e r y e a r , and one banded f e m a l e came back f o r t h r e e c o n s e c u t i v e s e a s o n s . Dur i n g t h e nonbreed ing s e a s o n b i r d s a p p e a r e d t o f o l l o w s h i f t s i n msmane pod c o n c e n t r a - t i o n s , and one b i r d , co lo r -banded a s an a d u l t , was s i g h t e d 2 .5 km away i n a pod c o n c e n t r a t i o n n e a r P u t u 0 Kauha. T h e r e were i n s u f - f i c i e n t co lo r -banded b i r d s t o s a y i f some s t a y e d i n a n a r e a t h r o u g h o u t t h e y e a r .

The Nest.--The f i r s t , and p r i o r t o t h i s s t u d y o n l y o t h e r a c t i v e P a l i l a n e s t , was found by Berger ( 1 9 7 0 ) . Of t h e 26 a c t i v e n e s t s found from 1972 t h r o u g h 1975 , a l l b u t t h r e e were i n msmane t r e e s . L a r g e r mzmane were p r e f e r r e d , a s t h e mean h e i g h t o f n e s t t r e e s ( 6 . 9 m) and CBH (83 .4 cm) were b o t h n e a r i n g maxima f o r t r e e s i n t h e f o r e s t ( v a n R ipe r 1 9 8 0 ) . Nest p l acemen t a v e r a g e d 5 .2 m above t h e ground and was p o s i t i v e l y c o r r e l a t e d ( r = 0 . 7 6 ) w i t h t h e h e i g h t o f t h e n e s t t r e e ( F i g . 5 ) . Nest p l a c e m e n t was predom- i n a n t l y on h o r i z o n t a l b r a n c h e s ( 1 5 n e s t s ) w h i l e f o u r n e s t s were found i n t e r m i n a l and s e v e n i n l a t e r a l f o r k s . Nests l o c a t e d i n t e r m i n a l f o r k s were a l l on s o l i d main stems where a t l e a s t t h r e e

b r a n c h e s formed a cup i n which t h e n e s t was b u i l t . A s a r u l e n e s t s were p l a c e d i n from t h e end o f t h e l imb . The a v e r a g e d i s - t a n c e o f n e s t p l acemen t f rom t h e t r u n k was 2.7 m and from t h e end o f t h e b r a n c h , 105 cm.

Nes t s i t e s e l e c t i o n was obse rved on one o c c a s i o n o n l y , 8 J u l y 1973. A banded f e m a l e f l e w i n t o a l a r g e msmane t r e e w i t h a g r a s s stem i n h e r beak . She moved t h r o u g h o u t t h e t r e e , came t o a l a r g e f o r k and p roceeded t o w r i g g l e h e r body i n t o a c r o t c h f o r some time, t r y i n g a number of d i f f e r e n t p o s i t i o n s . On 9 J u l y t h e r e was no m a t e r i a l a t t h e s i t e , b u t on t h e morning o f 11 J u l y a few p i e c e s o f g r a s s were p r e s e n t . By t h a t a f t e r n o o n much o f t h e n e s t - b a s e had been comple t ed .

Twenty-seven h o u r s o f o b s e r v a t i o n were made on 14 d a y s o f n e s t b u i l d i n g a t f o u r d i f f e r e n t s i t e s ; most c o n s t r u c t i o n o c c u r r e d d u r i n g t h e morning h o u r s . Length o f n e s t b u i l d i n g v a r i e d c o n s i d - e r a b l y ; n e s t 1-72 t o o k o v e r 20 days t o c o m p l e t e whereas n e s t 5-73 was f i n i s h e d i n s e v e n d a y s .

A p p a r e n t l y male and f e m a l e ~ a l i l a t o o k p a r t i n c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t h e n e s t , b u t b o t h b i r d s were n e v e r o b s e r v e d b u i l d i n g o r a t t h e n e s t a t t h e same time. I n one i n s t a n c e a male was o n t h e n e s t molding t h e c u p w i t h h i s body a s t h e f e m a l e app roached ; when s h e r e a c h e d t h e n e s t he l e f t immed ia t e ly . The f e m a l e was respon- s i b l e f o r a ma jo r p o r t i o n o f n e s t b u i l d i n g , a s s h e g a t h e r e d t h e m a t e r i a l s and b u i l t w h i l e t h e ma le o n l y i n c o r p o r a t e d m a t e r i a l s i n t o t h e n e s t . Males h e l p e d o n l y d u r i n g v e r y e a r l y n e s t b u i l d - i n g , u n t i l t h e bowl had been comple t ed . The b i r d s would o f t e n p i l e up m a t e r i a l i n many s h o r t t r i p s , and t h e f e m a l e would t h e n remain on t h e n e s t f o r an ex t ended p e r i o d o f t i m e mold ing and reweaving g r a s s e s i n t o t h e s t r u c t u r e .

N e s t s u s u a l l y had a b a s e o f l a r g e dead t w i g s . These t w i g s were c o l l e c t e d from t h e n e s t t r e e , b roken o f f and p i l e d o n t o a f o r k o r b r a n c h . I f t h e n e s t was s i t u a t e d i n a t e r m i n a l f o r k , s t i c k s were n o t used f o r a b a s e . The bowl was composed o f i n t e r - woven g r a s s e s ( some t imes s h e e p wool; van R ipe r 1 9 7 7 ) and l i n e d w i t h e i t h e r l i c h e n s (Usnea s p p . ) o r f i n e g r a s s e s and r o o t l e t s . P a l i l a n e s t s were i m p r e s s i v e s t r u c t u r e s a s t h e w i d t h o f 26 n e s t s a v e r a g e d 1 4 . 7 cm ( r a n g e = 9.6 - 1 8 . 8 cm) and t o t a l h e i g h t was 7 .7 cm ( r a n g e = 4.6 - 9 .6 cm) . The bowl d e p t h (mean = 3 . 9 c m ; r a n g e = 2.5 - 5.3 c m ) and bowl w i d t h (mean = 7.4 c m ; r a n g e = 5 . 8 - 8.9 cm) were s i m i l a r t h r o u g h o u t t h e p o p u l a t i o n . ~ i m t h i c k - n e s s was t h e mos t v a r i a b l e measurement a s i t ranged from 1 . 5 t o 6 . 9 cm and was d e p e n d e n t upon whether a n e s t c o n t a i n e d a s t i c k b a s e . S i x n e s t s had a mean we igh t o f 74 .1 g b u t i n d i v i d u a l w e i g h t s r anged from 4 1 t o 105 g .

The - a f t f i n

Eqgs and C l u t c h Size.--Eggs were l a i d a t v a r y i n g i n t e r v a l s e r t h e n e s t a p p e a r e d comple t ed . For example, n e s t 1-72 was i s h e d on 20 May and t h e f i r s t egg was n o t l a i d u n t i l 4 J u n e .

A t n e s t s 5-73 and 1-75, 1 . 5 and 2.0 d a y s r e s p e c t i v e l y e l a p s e d between t h e end o f c o n s t r u c t i o n and l a y i n g of t h e f i r s t egg . Eggs were l a i d e a r l y i n t h e morning and i n a l l c a s e s ( n = 1 2 ) one

p e r day . A t o n e n e s t t h e f i r s t egg was l a i d b e f o r e 0745 and t h e second b e f o r e 0800 h o u r s t h e f o l l o w i n g day . A t n e s t 5-73 t h e f e m a l e l a i d t h e f i r s t egg a t 0746 h o u r s ,

C l u t c h s i z e o f 11 n e s t s was two e g g s ; a t o n e n e s t a p p a r e n t l y o n l y one egg was l a i d . P a l i l a a r e d e t e r m i n a t e l a y e r s ; removal o f t h e second egg o f o n e c l u t c h o n t h e morning o f l a y i n g d i d n o t r e s u l t i n any s u b s e q u e n t l a y i n g .

Eggs were o v a l and c h a r a c t e r i z e d by a w h i t i s h g round c o l o r w i t h s u p e r imposed reddish-brown mar k i n g s , u s u a l l y fo rming a d e n s e c a p a round t h e l a r g e r end. E i g h t e g g s were measured ; a v e r a g e l e n g t h 25.0 mm and w i d t h 16 .8 mm. The egg s h a p e i n d e x was 67.1. Four e g g s were weighed w i t h a mean o f 2 .8 g ( r a n g e = 2.6 - 3.0 g ) and two s h e l l s a v e r a g e d 0.2 g .

, I n c u b a t i o n Period.--incubation i n t h e ~ a l i l a p r o b a b l y commenced w i t h t h e l a y i n g of t h e f i r s t egg . I n two n e s t s o b s e r v e d on t h e d a y t h a t t h e f i r s t egg was l a i d , b i r d s were p r e s e n t a t t h e n e s t a p p r o x i m a t e l y 50% of t h e t i m e ( 1 3 . 4 h o u r s o f o b s e r v a t i o n ) . I n o n e c a s e i t was a banded f e m a l e , b u t a t n e s t 1-72 a p p a r e n t l y o n l y t h e unbanded ma le a t t e n d e d t h e n e s t ; l e n g t h o f a t t e n t i v e p e r i o d s were p r o t r a c t e d a t t h i s n e s t , a s h e remained f o r 1 0 1 , 73, and 55 m i n u t e s i n t h r e e d i f f e r e n t s i t t i n g p e r i o d s . I t was p o s s i b l e , t h e r e f o r e , t h a t some h e a t may h a v e been a p p l i e d t o t h e f i r s t egg o f a c l u t c h . I n c u b a t i o n p e r i o d s a t two o t h e r n e s t s were 16 days ' 6 h o u r s and 1 5 d a y s 22 h o u r s ; a t h i r d was be tween 1 5 and 1 6 d a y s .

Only f e m a l e s i n c u b a t e d t h e e g g s and c o v e r e d them f o r an a v e r a g e o f o v e r 75% o f t h e d a y l i g h t h o u r s ( F i g . 6 ) . Tu rn ing of t h e e g g s a v e r a g e d 1 . 6 t u r n s p e r hour ( F i g . 7 ) . Eggs were incu- b a t e d t h r o u g h o u t t h e n i g h t a s p r o b e s i n t h e n e s t l i n i n g r e v e a l e d c o n s t a n t h e a t i n t h e n e s t .

N e s t l i n q p e r i o d . - - N e s t l i n g p e r i o d s o f 21, 23 , 2 4 , and 27 d a y s were r e c o r d e d . The f i r s t egg s t a r t e d h a t c h i n g e i t h e r l a t e a t n i g h t o r e a r l y i n t h e morning , and t h e s econd n o t b e f o r e t h e m i d d l e o f t h a t d a y . A t n e s t 1-72, when t h e f e m a l e l e f t t h e n e s t a t 0837 h o u r s , one young had h a t c h e d and was d r y , w h i l e t h e o t h e r was s t i l l s i t t i n g i n h a l f o f i t s s h e l l w i t h t h e o t h e r h a l f o v e r i ts head . A t n e s t 4-74 one young had h a t c h e d by 0930 h o u r s and t h e o t h e r egg was p ipped . T h i s same p a t t e r n h e l d a t n e s t 7-74 ( o n l y one h a t c h e d by 0900) and a t 1-75 where o n e o f two e g g s had h a t c h e d a t 1110 h o u r s .

P a r e n t a l Care o f t h e Young.--Only t h e f e m a l e brooded and time on t h e n e s t d e c l i n e d s t e a d i l y t h r o u g h o u t t h e n e s t l i n g p e r i o d u n t i l d a y 15 when b r o o d i n g e s s e n t i a l l y s t o p p e d ( F i g . 8 ) . I f a heavy r a i n o c c u r r e d d u r i n g b r o o d i n g , t h e f e m a l e s t a y e d on t h e n e s t . A t n i g h t t h e n e s t was cove red u n t i l a t , l e a s t d a y 18 .

A f t e r h a t c h i n g t h e f e m a l e c a r r i e d egg s h e l l s from t h e n e s t . I n one i n s t a n c e s h e dropped t h e s h e l l o v e r t h e edge . A t n e s t 1-75, where o n l y one egg h a t c h e d t h e s h e l l was s o f t and p l i a b l e . I n t h i s c a s e s m a l l p i e c e s o f s h e l l remained i n t h e n e s t and e v e n t u a l l y were worked i n t o t h e bot tom. I t may be t h a t t h e s t i p u l u s o f s h a r p e d g e s r e l e a s e s egg s h e l l d i s p o s a l , and i n t h i s c a s e t h e s o f t s h e l l d i d n o t e l i c i t t h i s r e s p o n s e .

N e s t l i n g f e e d i n g r a t e s , a s measured by t h e number o f t r i p s t o t h e n e s t by a d u l t s , showed t h a t f e m a l e P a l i l a f e d t h e young more t h a n m a l e s ( F i g . 9 ) . The number o f f e e d i n g s d e c r e a s e d s l i g h t l y o v e r t h e n e s t l i n g p e r i o d ( r e g r e s s i o n : Y = 2.57 - 0.034 X ) . On d a y 16 o f t h e n e s t l i n g p e r i o d a t n e s t 4-74, a f e r a l c a t a t e t h e b r o o d i n g f ema le . The m a l e , o v e r t h e n e x t 10 d a y s , i n c r e a s e d h i s f e e d i n g r a t e presumably t o compensa te f o r t h e ab- s e n c e o f h i s mate ( F i g . 9 ) . T h i s was t h e o n l y n e s t where h e l p e r s were o b s e r v e d ( S k u t c h 1 9 6 1 ) . A t l e a s t two h e l p e r s made f i v e t r i p s t o t h e n e s t w i t h food from d a y s 16 t o 26. The f e e d i n g s o f t h e h e l p e r s were q u i t e i r r e g u l a r , and when t h e y o c c u r r e d , o f t e n f o l l o w e d s h o r t l y a f t e r a f e e d i n g o f t h e p a r e n t male .

Al though young were n o t s a c r i f i c e d f o r c r o p a n a l y s i s , I was a b l e t o g a t h e r some i n f o r m a t i o n on t h e food t h e y were f e d , a s t h e c o l o r and s h a p e o f i t e m s c o u l d b e d i s c e r n e d t h r o u g h t h e s k i n o f t h e neck . I n e a r l y n e s t l i f e ( d a y 0-2) young were f e d f i n e l y m a s t i c a t e d items. A t n e s t 1-73, on t h e d a y o f h a t c h i n g , I ob- s e r v e d a f e m a l e r e p e a t e d l y n i p o f f f l o w e r and l e a f buds from a mgmane t r e e , and a f t e r r e p e a t e d r e g u r g i t a t i o n f e d them t o t h e young. I was u n a b l e t o c o n c l u s i v e l y p r o v e i n s e c t s were f e d d u r i n g t h e f i r s t few d a y s o f t h e n e s t l i n g p e r i o d ; however , a d u l t P a l i l a d i d t a k e more i n s e c t s d u r i n g t h e b r e e d i n g s e a s o n t h a n d u r i n g t h e r e s t o f t h e y e a r ( T a b l e 2 ) . his s u g g e s t e d i n s e c t s were p r o b a b l y f e d t o t h e young (sse a l s o p e r k i n s 1 9 0 3 ) . On day 2 ( o n e c a s e ) and 3 ( t h r e e cases) , mamane s e e d s were p r e s e n t i n t h e c r o p o f t h e young; t h e s e e d s were n o t whole , b u t b r o k e n i n t o s m a l l p i e c e s . From t h i s time onward s e e d s a p p e a r e d t o b e t h e major food i t e m , b u t t h e r e was a l s o a v i s c o u s w h i t e m i l k y sub- s t a n c e f e d t o t h e young.

The mos t s t r i k i n g f e a t u r e o f a used P a l i l a n e s t was an a c c u m u l a t i o n o f f e c a l m a t e r i a l ( F i g . 1 0 ) . Both p a r e n t s removed f e c a l s a c s and t h e n e s t remained c l e a n u n t i l d a y 4 . A t d a y 5 s a c s s t a r t e d a c c u m u l a t i n g on t h e n e s t r i m , and by d a y 8 were a b u n d a n t . R a t e o f f e c a l s a c removal i n c r e a s e d from 0 . 2 p e r hour a t day 2 t o a peak removal r a t e o f 4 .6 p e r hour a t d a y 8 . A f t e r d a y 1 0 removal d e c r e a s e d r a p i d l y u n t i l d a y 1 3 when i t o c c u r r e d o n l y a t i n f r e q u e n t i n t e r v a l s . From day 7 t h e f e m a l e and male removed o n l y s a c s from t h e bowl and i g n o r e d , f o r t h e mos t p a r t , t h o s e on t h e r im. I o b s e r v e d a f e m a l e e a t i n g a s a c on d a y 1 4 , b u t by t h i s time t h e b u i l d u p on t h e n e s t r im was t remendous . By d a y 2 2 t h e n e s t , l i m b s o f t h e t r e e , and ground below were cove red w i t h d r i e d f e c a l m a t e r i a l . The odor from t h i s a c c u m u l a t i o n was r a t h e r p u n g e n t .

N e s t l i n q Development.--At h a t c h i n g , young were c o m p l e t e l y h e l p - less and p i n k i s h - o r a n g e i n c o l o r w i t h s m a l l a r e a s o f b l a c k n e s t l i n g down i n t h e p t e r y l a e . Eye s l i t s , g r a s p i n g r e f l e x , f e a r r e s p o n s e , a b i l i t y t o s t a n d , beak c o l o r , p r e e n i n g , and f l a p - p i n g o f wings a l l appea red a t d i f f e r e n t times and d e v e l o p e d g r a d u a l l y ( T a b l e 4 ) . ~ e s t l i n g s g a i n e d w e i g h t a t a f a i r l y s t e a d y r a t e t h r o u g h o u t t h e n e s t l i n g p e r i o d , b u t b e c a u s e young l e f t t h e n e s t p r e m a t u r e l y i f d i s t u r b e d , I d i d n o t take w e i g h t s a f t e r d a y 20 ( F i g . 11). Young p r o b a b l y f l e d g e d a t w e i g h t s s l i g h t l y l e s s t h a n t h o s e o f a d u l t s , F e a t h e r deve lopmen t was s l o w i n t h e young ~ a l i l a w i t h t r a c t s b e g i n n i n g t o open a b o u t day 1 2 t o 1 4 ( T a b l e 5 ) .

F l e d s i n 4 o f Young.--Before f l e d g i n g , young r e p e a t e d l y moved from t h e n e s t t o n e a r b y b r a n c h e s and r e t u r n e d . A p p a r e n t l y f l e d g i n g i n t h e P a l i l a c o n s t i t u t e s l e a v i n g t h e n e s t t r e e and n o t j u s t d e p a r - t u r e from t h e n e s t . Young e i t h e r f l e d g e d s e p a r a t e l y o r a s a g r o u p . When a synchronous f l e d g i n g o c c u r r e d , o n e p a r e n t accom- p a n i e d t h e f l e d g l i n g w h i l e t h e ma te remained a t t h e n e s t s i t e . T h i s was t h e c a s e a t n e s t 1-72 where t h e f i r s t young f l e d g e d a t d a y 21 and t h e ma le accompanied it. N e i t h e r b i r d was o b s e r v e d i n t h e v i c i n i t y t h e r e a f t e r . The f e m a l e remained w i t h t h e o t h e r n e s t l i n g and i t f l e d g e d on d a y 24. During t h i s t h r e e - d a y p e r i o d t h e f e m a l e r e p e a t e d l y coaxed t h e young o f f t h e n e s t w i t h food i t e m s .

When P a l i l a n e s t l i n g s f l e d g e d t h e y c o u l d f l y w e l l , and a t n e s t 4-74 b o t h young f l e w t o a t r e e o v e r 20 m from t h e n e s t . Young neve r r e t u r n e d t o t h e n e s t o n c e t h e y had f l e d g e d . The f i r s t w e e k o f t h e f l e d g l i n g p e r i o d was c h a r a c t e r i z e d by a seden- t a r y e x i s t e n c e . F l e d g l i n g s would r ema in i n a s i n g l e t r e e , some- times f o r a 2-day p e r i o d , and a d u l t s would f o r a g e o u t from t h a t p o i n t r e t u r n i n g t o t h e t r e e o n l y f o r f e e d i n g s . Young, when n o t b e i n g f e d , s p e n t mos t o f t h e i r t i m e p r e e n i n g and s l e e p i n g ; o f t e n t h e y would b i t e a t l e a v e s and f l o w e r s . Feed ing o f f l e d g l i n g s was o b s e r v e d f o r t h r e e d a y s ; t h e r a t e was much t h e same a s i n t h e l a s t d a y s o f t h e n e s t l i n g p e r i o d . I n one c a s e t h e s i n g l e young was f e d by a ma le 1 . 2 t i m e s p e r hour and i n a n o t h e r , o n c e i n 2 h o u r s o f o b s e r v a t i o n . A f t e r l e a v i n g t h e n e s t a r e a , young remained w i t h t h e p a r e n t s f o r a n e x t e n d e d time p e r i o d , a s t h e y moved i n s m a l l p o s t b r e e d i n g f l o c k s . Banded young were o b s e r v e d w i t h t h e i r p a r e n t s o v e r 30 d a y s a f t e r f l e d g i n g , a b o u t 100 m from t h e n e s t s i t e .

R e p r o d u c t i v e S u c c e s s . - - L i t t l e c a n b e s a i d a b o u t a d u l t m o r t a l i t y b e c a u s e o f t h e s m a l l number o f banded b i r d s , b u t a l l i n d i c a t i o n s a r e t h a t i t i s low. One f e m a l e banded a s a n a d u l t was o b s e r v e d o v e r a 2 . 5 y e a r p e r i o d ; t h e r e f o r e , some b i r d s w i l l l i v e t o b e a t l e a s t 4 y e a r s o f a g e . Of 11 m a t u r e b i r d s banded i n 1972-1973, a l l b u t t h r e e were r e l o c a t e d a t l e a s t one y e a r l a t e r , y i e l d i n g an a b s o l u t e maximum t u r n o v e r r a t e o f 27% i n t h e banded p o p u l a t i o n .

From 1972 t h r o u g h 1975 , r e p r o d u c t i v e s u c c e s s (number o f e g g s l a i d t h a t f l e d g e d young) was 52.2% ( T a b l e 6 ) . I n d i v i d u a l y e a r s were q u i t e v a r i a b l e , p r o b a b l y due t o t h e low number o f n e s t s under o b s e r v a t i o n . Ha tch ing s u c c e s s was 65.2% and n e s t l i n g s u c c e s s 8 0 % . Causes o f m o r t a l i t y i n c l u d e d f a i l u r e o f e g g s t o h a t c h e i t h e r due t o embryonic d e a t h o r i n f e r t i l i t y ( 1 7 % o f a l l e g g s n o t d e s e r t e d ) , d e s e r t i o n , u n e x p l a i n e d n e s t l i n g d e a t h , w e a t h e r , o r poor n e s t c o n s t r u c t i o n . p r e d a t i o n was o b s e r v e d a t o n l y one n e s t , b u t was p r o b a b l y a g r e a t e r f a c t o r a t P u ' u ~ g ' a u t h a n t h e s e d a t a i n d i c a t e . Because t h e sample s i z e was s m a l l , and e x t e n s i v e mammal t r a p p i n g was done c o n c u r r e n t l y w i t h t h e mos t i n t e n s i v e p e r i o d s o f s t u d y (van R ipe r l 9 7 8 ) , p r e d a t i o n was mos t l i k e l y r educed a t n e s t s o b s e r v e d .

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Many d i f f e r e n t mechanisms h a v e been shown t o i n f l u e n c e p o p u l a t i o n p r o d u c t i v i t y , b u t a s i n many a r e a s o f e c o l o g y i t i s d i f f i c u l t t o d i s c e r n be tween c a u s e and e f f e c t . I n t h e P a l i l a p o p u l a t i o n a t P u ' u ~ g ' a u , l e n g t h o f t h e b r e e d i n g s e a s o n , c l u t c h s i z e , h a t c h i n g s e q u e n c e , n e s t l i n g g r o w t h , and m o r t a l i t y , a l l g a v e e v i d e n c e o f r e g u l a t i n g p r o d u c t i v i t y . No s i n g l e mechanism was a l o n e r e s p o n s i b l e , b u t a l l a c t e d t o g e t h e r i n an i n t r i c a t e sys t em o f c h e c k s and b a l a n c e s .

Timinq and Length o f Major Breed ing E f f o r t.--The P a l i l a b r e e d i n g s e a s o n w a s p r o t r a c t e d , l a s t i n g 6 t o 8 months , b u t mos t b i r d s b r e d w i t h i n a 2 t o 3 month s e a s o n a l span . The p e r i o d o f n o s t i n t e n s e b r e e d i n g was J u n e t o August . I t i s s t i l l u n c e r t a i n what i n i - t i a t e s t h e b r e e d i n g s e a s o n . I n mos t t e m p e r a t e p a s s e r i n e s photo- p e r i o d a p p e a r s t o b e t h e p r i m a r y f a c t o r , b u t F a r n e r and L e w i s ( 1 9 7 1 ) found t h a t p h o t o p e r i o d was n e v e r t h e o n l y mechanism t h a t s e t t h e p r e c i s e t i m e o f r e p r o d u c t i o n , and t h a t i n many s p e c i e s a d d i t i o n a l f a c t o r s m o d i f i e d t h e t i m i n g . L e w i s and O r c u t t ( 1 9 7 1 ) l i s t e d s u c h m o d i f i e r s a s s o c i a l b e h a v i o r , o n t o g e n e t i c f a c t o r s , e x p e r i e n c e , r e s o u r c e a v a i l a b i l i t y , t e m p e r a t u r e , and v a r i o u s geo- p h y s i c a l and e c o l o g i c a l f a c t o r s . These m o d i f i e r s a p p e a r e v e n more i m p o r t a n t i n n o n t e m p e r a t e p a s s e r i n e s a s Sku tch ( 1 9 5 0 ) c o u l d f i n d no s i n g l e s t i m u l u s t h a t e x p l a i n e d t h e i n i t i a t i o n o f b r e e d i n g i n t r o p i c a l and s u b t r o p i c a l s p e c i e s .

The re were a number o f e n v i r o n m e n t a l f a c t o r s a t Pu 'u ~ z ' a u which migh t h a v e a c t e d a s a t i m i n g mechanism f o r b r e e d i n g s e a s o n i n i t i a t i o n . R a i n s a f t e r t h e d r y summer p e r i o d may have a c t e d t o i n i t i a t e b r e e d i n g a s Keas t ( 1 9 5 9 ) found t h a t c e r t a i n ~ u s t r a l i a n d e s e r t b i r d s c a n b r e e d a t any time o f t h e y e a r , b u t d o s o o n l y a f t e r r a i n s . Green ing o f v e g e t a t i o n c o u l d a l s o have been a s t i m u l u s a s Lehrman ( 1 9 6 4 ) showed t h a t t h i s was t r u e f o r weaver f i n c h e s . The e f f e c t s o f p h o t o p e r i o d ( b o t h d i r e c t and i n d i r e c t ) c a n n o t be r u l e d o u t , and a g e and e x p e r i e n c e may c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e a synchrony o f i n d i v i d u a l p a i r s ( P e r r i n s 1965 , 1 9 7 0 ) . I t may w e l l b e t h a t t h e P a l i l a d e p e n d s b o t h upon exogenous and endogenous t i m i n g mechanisms t o s e t a n a p p r o p r i a t e time f o r r e p r o d u c t i o n .

Each o f t h e above h y p o t h e s e s n e e d s t o b e t e s t e d i n conc t r o l l e d l a b o r a t o r y s i t u a t i o n s . But wha teve r t h e immediate s t i m u l u s t h a t i n f l u e n c e s t h e i n i t i a t i o n o f b r e e d i n g , u l t i m a t e l y i t a p p e a r s t o b e t h e t i m i n g o f mgmane phenophases . The ma jo r b r e e d i n g e f f o r t was s p a c e d i n t o t h a t time o f y e a r when mgmane b o r e pods ( F i g . 1 2 ) . Not o n l y d i d t h e b r e e d i n g p e r i o d s seem a d j u s t e d t o o p t i m a l r e s o u r c e a v a i l a b i l i t y , b u t t h e b i r d s a p p e a r e d a b l e t o make f i n e a d j u s t m e n t s t o y e a r l y d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n i n t h e t i m i n g and abundance o f t h e s e food s u p p l i e s . I n 1974 , when pods a p p e a r e d e a r l i e r , t h e b r e e d i n g s e a s o n was e a r l i e r t h a n i n 1975 when pods came much l a t e r . Lack ( 1 9 5 4 ) , H a r r i s ( 1 9 6 9 ) , and P e r r i n s ( 1 9 7 0 ) a l l a rgued t h a t a v a i l a b i l i t y o f food a c t e d a s t h e u l t i m a t e d e t e r m i n a n t g o v e r n i n g i n i t i a t i o n o f t h e b r e e d i n g s e a s o n . Tordof f and Dawson ( 1 9 6 5 ) h a v e shown t h a t food a c t s a s t h e p rox ima l t i m i n g mechanism i n t h e b r e e d i n g c y c l e o f t h e Red C r o s s b i l l ( L o x i a c u r v i r o s t r a ) a s t h e s e b i r d s n e s t e d o n l y when a good s e e d c r o p was produced b y , c o n i f e r s .

Smal l c o n c e n t r a t i o n s o f n e s t i n g p a i r s a r e s e p a r a t d by l o n g d i s t a n c e s i n which no b i r d s were n e s t i n g . Because o f r e l a t i v e l y low P a l i l a numbers , it may b e t h a t t h e s o c i a l g r o u p i s t h e e x t e r o c e p t i v e f a c t o r i m p o r t a n t i n t h e t i m i n g and i n t e g r a t i o n o f r e p r o d u c t i o n . Most work i n t h i s a r e a h a s been done w i t h s e a b i r d s ( D a r l i n g 1938; Cou l son & White 1960; S c h r e i b e r & Ashmole 1 9 7 0 ) , b u t r e c e n t l y i t h a s been shown i m p o r t a n t i n o t h e r a v i a n g r o u p s a s w e l l (Brockway 1964; H a l l 1970 ; Lewis & O r c u t t 1 9 7 1 ) .

Mechanisms t h a t t e r m i n a t e b r e e d i n g a r e p o o r l y u n d e r s t o o d . The s e l e c t i v e f a c t o r s t h a t h a v e been e f f e c t i v e i n s h a p i n g t h e t e r m i n a t i o n i n H a w a i ' i a r e , no d o u b t , less i n t e n s e t h a n t h e p o s t - n u p t i a l demands o f t e m p e r a t e s p e c i e s t h a t mus t unde rgo e n e r g e t - i c a l l y demanding au tumnal m i g r a t i o n . Payne ( 1 9 7 2 ) p o i n t e d o u t t h a t p e r i o d i c m o l t o f b i r d s , u s u a l l y o c c u r s a t t h e end o f t h e b r e e d i n g s e a s o n a f t e r r e p r o d u c t i v e a c t i v i t i e s have been com- p l e t e d . I n t h e P a l i l a t h e r e was a l a r g e p e r i o d o f b r e e d i n g - m o l t o v e r l a p ( F i g . 1 2 ) . G r e a t e r t h a n 25% o f s k i n s and b i r d s examined were i n n o l t d u r i n g t h e b r e e d i n g s e a s o n , and two o f t h r e e b i r d s c a p t u r e d w h i l e b r e e d i n g were i n m o l t ; one f e m a l e c o u l d h a r d l y f l y due t o worn and m o l t i n g f e a t h e r s . T h i s i s u n u s u a l i n p a s s e r i n e s . I n A f r i c a n b i r d s Payne ( 1 9 6 9 ) and Moreau ( 1 9 3 6 ) r e p o r t e d o n l y a 3.9 and 4 . 2 % o v e r l a p , r e s p e c t i v e l y ; F o s t e r ( 1 9 7 5 ) documented a 1 0 % b reed ing -mol t o v e r l a p i n b i r d s f rom C o s t a R i c a .

T h i s r a i s e s t h e q u e s t i o n : Why d o e s t h e P a l i l a i n i t i a t e m o l t a t t h e h e i g h t o f t h e b r e e d i n g s e a s o n ? P o s s i b l y b e c a u s e t h e mos t a b u n d a n t food s u p p l y was l a t e r i n t h e y e a r , m o l t had been pushed back a s f a r a s i t was p h y s i o l o g i c a l l y c a p a b l e i n t h e s p e c i e s , and e v e n t u a l l y t h e f a c t o r s which s e r v e d t o s t i m u l a t e m o l t ( p o s s i b l y p h o t o p e r i o d ) o v e r r o d e t h e i n h i b i t i n g e f f e c t s o f g o n a d a l hormones. L igon and Whi te ( 1 9 7 4 ) found t h i s t r u e when y e a r s o f d i f f e r i n g food s u p p l y and m o l t were compared i n t h e Pifion J a y , Gymnorhinus c v a n o c e ~ h a l u s . They a l s o i n f e r r e d t h a t g o n a d a l a c t i v i t y de- c r e a s e d somewhat b e c a u s e o f m o l t i n i t i a t i o n , and t h i s may a t times c u t s h o r t t h e P a l i l a b r e e d i n g s e a s o n . I t c a n n o t b e i g n o r e d , however , t h a t b r e e d i n g may b e t imed i n s u c h a manner t h a t t h e most a b u n d a n t food s u p p l y is made a v a i l a b l e a t t h a t time o f y e a r when b o t h P a l i l a a d u l t s and j u v e n i l e s a r e p r e s e n t .

The l e n g t h o f t h e b r e e d i n g s e a s o n a s a f a c t o r i n p o p u l a t i o n p r o d u c t i v i t y becomes i m p o r t a n t when one c o n s i d e r s t h a t a P a l i l a n e s t i n g sequence ( n e s t b u i l d i n g t o i ndependence o f young) t a k e s a t l e a s t 90 d a y s . T h i s i n d i c a t e s t h a t a p a i r is p r o b a b l y a b l e t o r a i s e o n l y one s e t o f young i n a s e a s o n . F u r t h e r m o r e , i f t h e s e a s o n i s t e r m i n a t e d e a r l y due t o l a c k o f food o r f o r some o t h e r r e a s o n , t h e number o f young produced c o u l d be s e v e r e l y a f f e c t e d .

N e s t l i n q Growth and Mor t a l i t y . - -The r a t e a t which b i r d s grow i s an i m p o r t a n t e c o l o g i c a l p a r a m e t e r o f p r o d u c t i v i t y r e g u l a t i o n , b e c a u s e it d e t e r m i n e s t h e n e s t l i n g p e r i o d and hence t h e time young a r e exposed t o p o s s i b l e p r e d a t i o n and a d v e r s e c l i m a t i c con- d i t i o n s (Maher 1 9 7 3 ) . R i c k l e f s ( 1 9 6 9 a ) p roposed a model whereby n a t u r a l s e l e c t i o n would maximize growFh r a t e s o f a l t r i c i a l b i r d s . He i n d i c a t e d t h a t r a t e o f g rowth i n body w e i g h t was n o t c o r r e - l a t e d w i t h n e s t l i n g m o r t a l i t y , b u t was r a t h e r a f u n c t i o n o f a d u l t body s i z e ( o f t h e s p e c i e s ) and t h e mode o f deve lopmen t of t h e young.

P a l i l a n e s t l i n g s n o r m a l l y t o o k 22 t o 23 d a y s t o f l e d g e . These a r e f a i r l y l o n g p e r i o d s f o r open -nes t ing p a s s e r i n e s p e c i e s ( S k u t c h 1945; R i c k l e f s 1968 , 1 9 6 9 b ) . To compare t h e s e g rowth p e r i o d s t o t h o s e o f o t h e r a l t r i c i a l b i r d s , d a t a were a n a l y z e d by methods s u g g e s t e d by R i c k l e f s ( 1 9 6 7 ) . T h i s i n v o l v e d f i t t i n g n e s t l i n g w e i g h t s t o a s igmoid c u r v e and u s i n g t h e s p e c i f i c r a t e c o n s t a n t o f t h e e q u a t i o n f o r compar i son . The g rowth r a t e ( K ) f o r P a l i l a ( 0 . 3 2 1 ) was l e s s t h a n a l l P a s s e r i f o r m e s a n a l y z e d by ~ i c k - l e f s ( 1 9 6 8 ) , e x c e p t t h e F o r m i c a r i i d a e , ~ y r a n n i d a e , and C o r v i d a e ; f u r t h e r m o r e , i t was a l s o lower t h a n t h e a v e r a g e o f 0.535 f o r 2 1 f r i n g i l l i d s , and t h e a v e r a g e ( 0 . 4 6 2 ) r e p o r t e d by Maher ( 1 9 7 3 ) f o r s e v e n g r o u n d n e s t i n g p a s s e r i n e s . T h i s shows t h a t t h e P a l i l a g rows more s l o w l y t h a n most p a s s e r i n e s measured t o d a t e , and a r e t h e r e - f o r e r e l e g a t e d t o t h e n e s t f o r an e x t e n d e d t i m e p e r i o d .

I n Hawa i ' i p r o l o n g e d n e s t l i n g p e r i o d s p r o b a b l y e v o l v e d i n t h e former a b s e n c e o f g round p r e d a t o r s . With minimum n e s t l i n g m o r t a l i t y f rom p r e d a t i o n , t h e r e would have been l i t t l e d i r e c - t i o n a l s e l e c t i o n a g a i n s t a l a t e r f l e d g i n g d a t e . Also a d u l t P a l i l a e x h i b i t e d a d e c r e a s e d f e e d i n g r a t e o v e r t h e n e s t l i n g p e r i o d ( F i g . 9 ) . T h i s is u n u s u a l f o r p a s s e r i n e s , b u t p e r h a p s w i t h t h e e x t e n d e d n e s t l i n g p e r i o d , p h y s i o l o g i c a l a d j u s t m e n t s were made i n t h e young, and food r e q u i r e m e n t s were s p r e a d o u t o v e r a l o n g e r time p e r i o d .

R e p r o d u c t i v e Succes s . - -Reproduc t ive s u c c e s s , t h e number of e g g s l a i d t h a t f l e d g e d young, f o r P a l i l a ( 5 2 . 2 % ) was comparab le t o t h a t found i n o t h e r o p e n - n e s t i n g p a s s e r i n e s p e c i e s ( N i c e 1 9 5 7 ) . However, r e p r o d u c t i v e s u c c e s s c a n b e a m i s l e a d i n g c r i t e r i o n when a n a l y z i n g t o t a l young produced p e r y e a r by a p o p u l a t i o n . Dru ry ( 1 9 6 1 ) was one o f t h e f i r s t t o p o i n t o u t t h a t t o t a l p r o d u c t i o n o f young p e r y e a r depended upon number o f b r o o d s r a i s e d a s w e l l a s c l u t c h s i z e . R e c e n t l y , p o p u l a t i o n b i o l o g i s t s have t r e a t e d t h i s a s p e c t o f a v i a n demography i n g r e a t d e t a i l (Cody 1971; R i c k l e f s 1 9 7 3 ; R i c k l e f s & Bloom 1 9 7 7 ) .

The p r o d u c t i v i t y p e r u n i t a r e a f o r t h e P a l i l a was d e t e r m i n e d a s shown below:

R e l a t i v e Breed ing P a i r s / 1 0 0 h a T o t a l ~ r o d u c t i v i t y / l O O ha P r o d u c t i v i t y ( D e n s i t y )

T o t a l p r o d u c t i o n was q u i t e low and was, o f c o u r s e , d u e i n a l a r g e p a r t t o t h e a l r e a d y low numbers o f b r e e d i n g b i r d s . However, a n o t h e r f a c t o r t h a t c a n n o t b e i g n o r e d was t h e l e n g t h o f t h e b r e e d i n g s e a s o n i n compar i son t o t h e l e n g t h o f a n e s t i n g c y c l e : P a l i l a c a n r a i s e o n l y o n e s e t o f young i n a s e a s o n .

R i c k l e f s and Bloom ( 1 9 7 7 ) examined p r o d u c t i v i t y i n b i r d s f rom d i v e r s e h a b i t a t s , and found t h a t i n a d r y montane s u b t r o p - i c a l a r e a o f Ecuador ( a h a b i t a t s i m i l a r t o Pu 'u ~ z ' a u ) t h e mos t i m p o r t a n t v a r i a b l e s o f p r o d u c t i v i t y were s e a s o n l e n g t h and c l u t c h s i z e . The s i m i l a r i t y o f t h e P a l i l a d a t a w i t h R i c k l e f and Bloom's migh t i n d i c a t e t h a t i n s a v a n n a e c o s y s t e m s t h r o u g h o u t s u b t r o p i c a l r e g i o n s , t h e two most i m p o r t a n t f a c t o r s r e g u l a t i n g p r o d u c t i v i t y , i n s m a l l p a s s e r i n e b i r d s a r e s e a s o n l e n g t h and c l u t c h s i z e .

C o n c l u s i o n s on Abundance .--In s t u d y i n g t h e P a l i l a one mus t even- t u a l l y c o n f r o n t t h e q u e s t i o n o f why i t is r a r e and t o d a y main- t a i n s s u c h a p r e c a r i o u s e x i s t e n c e . The r e a s o n s a r e : f i r s t , and p r o b a b l y mos t i m p o r t a n t , t h e e c o l o g i c a l r o l e o f t h e s p e c i e s ( a s p e c i a l i s t ) and t h e e f f e c t s h a b i t a t a l t e r a t i o n and r e d u c t i o n have on p o p u l a t i o n numbers; and s e c o n d l y , t h e s m a l l e f f e c t i v e b r e e d i n g p o p u l a t i o n and low d i s p e r s i b i l i t y o f t h e b i r d may have r e s u l t e d i n g e n e t i c problems.

The P a l i l a h a s e v o l v e d i n t o a r a t h e r s p e c i a l i z e d n i c h e , becoming a l m o s t t o t a l l y r e l i a n t upon t h e mzmane-naio ecosys t em. P i a n k a (1974: 1 8 8 ) a r g u e d t h a t h i g h l y s p e c i a l i z e d o r g a n i s m s u s u a l l y had na r row t o l e r a n c e l i m i t s a l o n g one o r more o f t h e i r n i c h e d i m e n s i o n s . O f t e n t h e s e s p e c i a l i s t s had v e r y s p e c i f i c h a b i t a t r e q u i r e m e n t s a n d , a s a r e s u l t , were n o t v e r y a b u n d a n t . I n c o n t r a s t , o r g a n i s m s w i t h b r o a d t o l e r a n c e s were t y p i c a l l y more g e n e r a l i z e d , had more f l e x i b l e h a b i t a t r e q u i r e m e n t s , and were u s u a l l y much more common. Cody (1974 : 1 1 7 ) , i n h i s a n a l y s i s o f g e n e r a l i s t s and s p e c i a l i s t s i n e i g h t Nor th ~ r n e r i c a n s t u d y a r e a s , showed t h a t g e n e r a l i s m seemed t o a s s u r e s u c c e s s - - t h e r e were few r a r e g e n e r a l i s t s b u t a n abundance o f r a r e s p e c i a l i s t s . Thus w e s e e t h a t i t s e c o l o g i c a l n i c h e i n a way p r e d e t e r m i n e d low P a l i l a abundance .

T h i s immed ia t e ly r a i s e s t h e q u e s t i o n : Why d i d t h e P a l i l a become s p e c i a l i z e d when it i n v o l v e d becoming l e s s abundan t? An i n s i g h t t o t h i s dilemma was p r o v i d e d by Hu tch inson ( 1 9 5 7 ) when he d e f i n e d t h e " fundamen ta l niche1 ' and e l e g a n t l y showed t h a t spe- c i a l i z e d i n d i v i d u a l s were more e f f i c i e n t on t h e i r own g round . P rob lems , t h e r e f o r e , p r o b a b l y d i d n o t b e g i n f o r t h e P a l i l a u n t i l man and f e r a l mammals had s i g n i f i c a n t l y a l t e r e d t h e i r h a b i t a t . S i n c e t h a t t i m e ( c a . 1850) t h e r e h a s been a s t e a d y d e c l i n e i n mzmane f o r e s t s on H a w a i ' i (Warner 1 9 6 0 ) . With t h e r e d u c t i o n o f t h i s h a b i t a t h a s come a p a r a l l e l r e d u c t i o n o f t h e P a l i l a . The b i r d p r e s e n t l y o c c u p i e s o n l y 1 0 % o f i t s former r a n g e ( v a n R ipe r e t a l . 1 9 7 8 ) . G i f f i n ( 1 9 7 6 ) showed t h a t t h i s a r e a is d i m i n i s h i n g r a p i d l y . F u r t h e r m o r e , a s l a r g e mzmane t r e e s a r e p r e f e r r e d by t h e P a l i l a f o r n e s t i n g and f e e d i n g , what a p p e a r s a t f i r s t g l a n c e t o b e a c c e p t a b l e h a b i t a t migh t i n a l l r e a l i t y n o t b e s o t o t h e b i r d s ( s e e d i s c u s s i o n by Whitmore 1 9 7 7 ) . Thus t h e a l r e a d y s m a l l r e a l i z e d n i c h e o f t h e P a l i l a h a s become even more r e s t r i c t e d .

F i s h e r ' s ( 1 9 5 8 ) model o f a d a p t a t i o n and d e t e r i o r a t i o n o f t h e env i ronmen t showed t h a t a random change o f a g i v e n magn i tude was more l i k e l y t o improve t h e l e v e l o f a d a p t a t i o n o f t h e g e n e r a l i s t t h a n t h e s p e c i a l i s t . T h e r e f o r e t h e h i g h l y s p e c i a l i z e d P a l i l a , w i t h i t s na r row t o l e r a n c e l i m i t s , would s u f f e r g r e a t e r l o s s e s i n f i t n e s s due t o a u n i t o f e n v i r o n m e n t a l d e s t r u c t i o n .

Ev idence t o d a y i n d i c a t e s a p p r o x i m a t e l y 1600 b i r d s r ema in ( v a n Riper e t a l . l 9 7 8 ) , and t h e e f f e c t i v e b r e e d i n g p o p u l a t i o n (McClearn & D e F r i e s 1973: 228) is . in a l l p r o b a b i l i t y much less . S u p p o r t comes from s i g h t i n g s o f b a c h e l o r f l o c k s t h r o u g h o u t t h e b r e e d i n g s e a s o n , and t h i s ove rabundance o f m a l e s may i n f a c t b e an i n h i b i t i n g f a c t o r to s u c c e s s f u l r e p r o d u c t i o n . For example, a t n e s t 5-73 t h e c o n t i n u a l i n t r u s i o n o f unmated male X-R may have c o n t r i b u t e d t o n e s t d e s e r t i o n .

When an e f f e c t i v e b r e e d i n g p o p u l a t i o n i s s m a l l , reduced f i t n e s s ( s u r v i v a l v a l u e and r e p r o d u c t i v e c a p a b i l i t y o f a g i v e n geno type r e l a t i v e t o o t h e r g e n o t y p e s i n a p o p u l a t i o n ) o f t e n r e s u l t s (McClearn & D e F r i e s 1973: 2 5 3 ) . T h i s may have happened t o t h e e x t a n t P a l i l a p o p u l a t i o n a s t h e r e i s a h i g h d e g r e e o f i n f e r t i l i t y . Of t h e 18 e g g s t h a t were i n c u b a t e d t o t e r m , 17% were e i t h e r i n f e r t i l e o r d i e d a s an embryo. I n s t u d i e s o f o t h e r p a s s e r i n e s ( N i c e 1937; B u l l 1946; Mumford 1964; S e e 1 1968; S i eg - f r i e d 1 9 7 3 ) , a v e r a g e i n f e r t i l i t y was 6 .8% ( r a n g e = 3.7 1 2 . 0 ) .

Lack o f d i s p e r s a l c o u l d a l s o b e one r e a s o n f o r r educed f i t n e s s i n t h e P a l i l a t o d a y , a s i t may have i n t e r r u p t e d ( o r r educed t h e r a p i d i t y o f ) gene d i f f u s i o n t h r o u g h o u t t h e popula- t i o n . Baldwin ( 1 9 5 3 ) s u g g e s t e d t h a t d i s p e r s a l r a t e s were u n a c c o u n t a b l y low i n Hawaiian b i r d s , and h i s t o r i c a l d a t a o f t h e P a l i l a i n d i c a t e t h a t t h i s i s s o . A s l a t e a s 1900 two c o l o n i e s e x i s t e d , o n e on Mauna Loa, t h e o t h e r on Mauna Kea. The Mauna Loa p o p u l a t i o n h a s d i s a p p e a r e d , a l t h o u g h what a p p e a r s t o be good h a b i t a t s t i l l r e m a i n s i n t h a t a r e a . Had d i s p e r s a l between t h e two h a b i t a t s been c o n t i n u o u s , t h e Mauna Loa c o l o n y migh t n o t have d i s a p p e a r e d .

SUMMARY

The b e h a v i o r a l e c o l o g y and b r e e d i n g b i o l o g y o f t h e endan- g e r e d P a l i l a ( P s i t t i r o s t r a b a i l l e u i ) , a member o f t h e endemic Hawaiian h o n e y c r e e p e r s ( D r e p a n i d i d a e ) , was s t u d i e d from 1971 t o 1975 . B i r d s were co lo r -banded and a s p e c t s o f t h e e n v i r o n m e n t m o n i t o r e d . The P a l i l a p o p u l a t i o n on Mauna Kea c o n s i s t e d of r e s i d e n t a d u l t s t h a t e a c h y e a r r e t u r n e d t o t h e same a r e a s t o b r e e d . The re was a n excess o f unmated m a l e s . Most i n t e n s e b r e e d i n g o c c u r r e d from June t o ~ u g u s t , and c o i n c i d e d w i t h peak p r o d u c t i o n o f mzmane s e e d s , t h e b i r d s ' major food s o u r c e . The P a l i l a was a b l e t o make a d j u s t m e n t s i n i t s b r e e d i n g t o compensa te f o r y e a r l y d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n i n t h e t i m i n g and abundance o f t h e s e food s u p p l i e s .

Sexua l c h a s i n g and c o u r t s h i p f e e d i n g were t h e mos t f r e - q u e n t l y e n c o u n t e r e d p r e n e s t i n g b e h a v i o r s . S i n g i n g was a l s o i m p o r t a n t and v o c a l i z a t i o n s a r e d e s c r i b e d . T e r r i t o r y was a mate d e f e n d e d a r e a which l a t e r i n t h e n e s t i n g sequence s h i f t e d t o t h e n e s t s i t e . A t o t a l o f 26 n e s t s was found and most were p l a c e d on l a r g e r b r a n c h e s o f t h e mzmane t r e e . N e s t c o n s t r u c t i o n o c c u r r e d p r i m a r i l y i n t h e morning h o u r s , and i n o n e c a s e l a s t e d 20 d a y s . Both s e x e s t o o k p a r t i n n e s t c o n s t r u c t i o n , a l b e i t t h e ma le r o l e was min imal . U n l e s s t h e n e s t was p l a c e d i n t h e t e r m i n a l f o r k o f a t r e e , i t u s u a l l y c o n t a i n e d a l a r g e s t i c k b a s e .

The modal c l u t c h s i z e was two, and e g g s were l a i d e a r l y i n t h e morning and i n a l l c a s e s o n e p e r day . I n c u b a t i o n somet imes began w i t h t h e f i r s t egg and l a s t e d be tween 15 and 16 d a y s . Only t h e f ema le i n c u b a t e d , and s h e c o v e r e d t h e e g g s f o r a b o u t 75% of t h e d a y l i g h t h o u r s and t h r o u g h o u t t h e n i g h t . Tu rn ing o f t h e e g g s a v e r a g e d 1 . 6 t u r n s p e r h o u r . ~ g g h a t c h i n g was a synchronous w i t h t h e f i r s t young emerging e a r l y i n t h e morning and t h e second n o t u n t i l l a t e r t h a t same d a y .

Only t h e f e m a l e brooded and t h e r a t e d e c l i n e d u n t i l d a y 1 5 when e s s e n t i a l l y i t s t o p p e d . However, b o t h p a r e n t s f e d t h e young by r e g u r g i t a t i o n , and t h e number o f f e e d i n g s p e r hour d e c r e a s e d s l i g h t l y o v e r t h e n e s t l i n g p e r i o d . I t is t h o u g h t t h a t i n s e c t s and f i n e l y m a s t i c a t e d p l a n t m a t e r i a l formed t h e b u l k o f t h e n e s t - l i n g d i e t u n t i l a b o u t d a y 5 when l a r g e r msmane s e e d s became i m p o r t a n t . H e l p e r s were found a t one n e s t ; t h i s is t h e f i r s t r e c o r d e d i n s t a n c e i n t h e D r e p a n i d i d a e . F e c a l m a t e r i a l accu- mu la t ed on t h e n e s t r im of a l l P a l i l a n e s t s . Young deve loped s l o w l y and d i d n o t l e a v e t h e n e s t u n t i l 2 1 t o 27 d a y s o f age . I t i s b e l i e v e d t h a t t h e s e p r o l o n g e d n e s t l i n g p e r i o d s e v o l v e d b e c a u s e o f t h e former a b s e n c e o f g round p r e d a t o r s . A f t e r f l e d g i n g young remained w i t h t h e i r p a r e n t s f o r a t l e a s t 30 d a y s .

Adu l t m o r t a l i t y was q u i t e low. R e p r o d u c t i v e s u c c e s s was 5 2 % ; however , i n f e r t i l i t y o f e g g s i n c u b a t e d t o t e rm ( 1 7 % ) was q u i t e h i g h . P a l i l a p r o d u c t i v i t y was r e g u l a t e d by s m a l l c l u t c h '

s i z e , low p o p u l a t i o n numbers , and by t h e l e n g t h o f an i n d i v i d u a l n e s t i n g sequence ( i n t h a t a p a i r c o u l d p o t e n t i a l l y r a i s e o n l y o n e brood e a c h y e a r ) . The p r i m a r y r e a s o n f o r t h e endange red s t a t u s

o f t h i s b i r d a p p e a r s t o b e t h e e f f e c t o f r h a b i t a t a l t e r a t i o n upon a s p e c i a l i s t , and t h a t t h e s m a l l e f f e c t i v e b r e e d i n g p o p u l a t i o n and low d i s p e r s i b i l i t y o f t h e s p e c i e s may have caused g e n e t i c p rob lems .

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

T h i s p r o j e c t began w h i l e I was a t e a c h e r a t The Hawaii P r e p a r a t o r y Academy, and f o r t h e u s e o f t h e i r f a c i l i t i e s and accommodating my sometime e r r a t i c h o u r s , I am g r a t e f u l . To my former s t u d e n t s a t t h i s s c h o o l , i n p a r t i c u l a r R. L. Warner. I am g r a t e f u l f o r many h o u r s o f h e l p - d u r i n g t h e summers o f 1971 and 1972.

While i n t h e f i e l d , members o f t h e Hawaii D i v i s i o n o f F i s h and Game were a t v a r i o u s times o f a s s i s t a n c e : t o J. G i f f i n f o r h i s h e l p on t h e m o u n t a i n , E. Kosaka f o r h i s h o s p i t a l i t y a t ~ G h a k u l o a , and C. Branco and H. F e r g e r s t r o m f o r h e l p moving camp, I am i n d e b t e d . Many o f t h e p e r m i t s needed f o r t h i s s t u d y c o u l d n o t have been o b t a i n e d w i t h o u t t h e g u i d a n c e and s u p p o r t o f t h e U . S. F i s h and W i l d l i f e S e r v i c e and Hawaii D i v i s i o n o f F i s h and Game. For p l a c e s o f s o l a c e w h i l e o f f t h e mounta in I w i l l a lways b e g r a t e f u l t o R. and S. J o h n s t o n , S. Landsbe rg , and J . Spence r . To members o f t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l B i o l o g i c a l Program team a t Hawaii Vo lcanoes N a t i o n a l P a r k , J. J a c o b i , T. Parman, R. Warshauer , and e s p e c i a l l y t h e l a t e H. E. S m i t h , I am i n d e b t e d f o r a s s i s t a n c e . I n a d d i t i o n , my warmest a p p r e c i a t i o n t o I. and J . Q. Casey f o r t h e i r c o n t i n u e d s u p p o r t and g r a c i o u s h o s p i t a l i t y d u r i n g my s t a y s i n Honolu lu .

For a c c e s s t o u n p u b l i s h e d i n f o r m a t i o n I t h a n k P. H. Ba ldwin , A . J. B e r g e r , T. L. C. Casey , J . S i n c o c k , and J . M . S c o t t . J . B e a r d s l e y k i n d l y i d e n t i f i e d i n s e c t s , T. Nakata a s s i s t e d w i t h some o f t h e i l l u s t r a t i o n s , J. Q. Casey h e l p e d g a t h e r f i e l d d a t a , and D. Weiner g a v e c l e r i c a l a s s i s t a n c e . My w i f e , S a n d r a , h a s been i n v a l u a b l e i n many ways, p a r t i c u l a r l y i n r e a d i n g and t y p i n g t h e numerous d r a f t s o f t h i s m a n u s c r i p t and making many sugges - t i o n s , most o f which I a c c e p t e d .

T h i s work h a s been s u p p o r t e d by a number o f o r g a n i z a t i o n s , t o which I e x p r e s s my s i n c e r e t h a n k s : The Frank M. Chapman Memorial Fund o f t h e American Museum o f N a t u r a l H i s t o r y ; The Hawaii Audubon S o c i e t y ; The Hawaii Vo lcanoes N a t i o n a l P a r k ( C o n t r a c t No. CX 8300 5 0 0 3 5 ) ; The I n t e r n a t i o n a l Counc i l f o r B i r d P r e s e r v a t i o n ; The McInerny Founda t ion ; a N a t i o n a l S c i e n c e Founda- t i o n g r a n t t o A . J . Berger and D. Mueller-Dombois; and The World W i l d l i f e Fund o f Morges, S w i t z e r l a n d , w i t h a g r a n t e x t e n s i o n (US-35) from t h e U . S. S e c t i o n . During t h e f i n a l s t a g e s o f p r e p a r a t i o n I was s u p p o r t e d by C o n t r a c t No. CX 8000 7 0009 from t h e U . S. Department o f t h e I n t e r i o r N a t i o n a l Pa rk S e r v i c e t o t h e C o o p e r a t i v e N a t i o n a l Pa rk R e s o u r c e s S t u d i e s U n i t a t t h e Univer- s i t y o f Hawaii a t Manoa. The f o l l o w i n g p e o p l e were i n d i s p e n s i b l e i n p rocu remen t o f these f u n d i n g s : W . King; U . Kojima; W . and M . Mull ; D . R e e s e r ; C . W . Smi th ; and t o e a c h many t h a n k s .

T h i s work was done a s p a r t i a l f u l f i l l m e n t for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the Universi ty of Hawaii. I am pleased t o thank the members of my doc to ra l committee, Professors A. J. Berger, R. Kinzie 111, C. Lamoureux, A. Miyahara, and A . Popper, f o r t h e i r c r i t i c a l reading of my work and t h e i r help i n many o ther ways. H. G. Baker, T. L. C. Casey, A. ~ a m i l , R. Raikow, C . J. and C. P. Ralph, R. Scowcroft, and J. Sincock made use - f u l comments on some sec t ions . F ina l ly , I thank A. J. Berger, J . Emlen, and J . M . Sco t t fo r reading the e n t i r e manuscript and f o r o f f e r i n g va luable suggest ions for i t s improvement.

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TABLE 1. C a p t u r e a n d s u b s e q u e n t s i g h t i n g s o f m a r k e d ~ a l i l a o n Mauna Kea, Hawai ' i.

b

S u b s e q u e n t S i g h t i n g s W i t h i n t h e a D a t e C a p t u r e d Sex 2290 m S t u d y

22 Dec 1 9 7 2

4 J a n 1 9 7 3

5 J a n 1 9 7 3

7 J a n 1 9 7 3

4 J u n e 1 9 7 3

4 J u n e 1 9 7 3

C 20 J u n e 1 9 7 3

1 2 J u l y 1 9 7 3

f 1 3 J u l y 1 9 7 3

1 3 J u l y 1 9 7 3

1 4 J u l y 1 9 7 3

26 March 1974

1 6 J u l y 1974

2 5 J u l y 1974

1 9 Aug 1 9 7 4

Male

Unknown

Male

Male

Male

F e m a l e

I m m a t u r e

Male

F e m a l e

Male

I m m a t u r e

F e m a l e

Immature

Male

F e m a l e

J u l y 1 9 7 3

---

J u n e 1974

J u n e , J u l y 1 9 7 4 ; A p r i l , J u n e , J u l y 1 9 7 5

A u g u s t 1974

March 1974

J u l y 1 9 7 3

--- F e b r u a r y , J u l y 1 9 7 4 ; J u n e 1 9 7 5

---

J u l y 1 9 7 3 ; March , A p r i l , O c t o b e r 1 9 7 4

May 1974

J u l y 1 9 7 5

A u g u s t 1974

---

TABLE 2. Types o f f o o d P a l i l a were o b s e r v e d e a t i n g d u r i n g 152 d a y s o f o b s e r v a t i o n o n Mauna Kea, H a w a i ' i .

h)

O b s e r v a t i o n Number o f Times* Recorded P e r c e n t o f Food t y p e Taken p e r Month 1p

P e r i o d Days Observed Feeding ~ S m a n e Naio Rods Flower Leaves F r u i t I n s e c t s O t h e r

1974

March

A p r i l

May

J u n e

J u l y

December

1975

March

A p r il

May

J u n e

J u l y

August

Sep tember

* Each r e c o r d e d f e e d i n g r e p r e s e n t s t h e food t y p e b e i n g e a t e n by a b i r d when f i r s t s e e n .

TABLE 3 . P a l i l a c o u r t s h i p f e e d i n g r a t e s t h r o u g h o u t t h e n e s t i n g c y c l e .

T o t a l Hours T o t a l No. o f No. o f C o u r t s h i p Days o f C y c l e Observed C o u r t s h i p F e e d i n g s F e e d i n g s / h r

( C l u t c h Comple ted)

( H a t c h i n g )

36 - 39 - ( Fledg i n g )

TABLE 4. Developmental patterns in young Palila.

Developmental Day of n e s t l i n g p e r i o d

p a t t e r n 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0 11 12 13 14 1 5 1 6 17 1 8 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Opening s l i t s opening -- f u l l y open of e y e s ---------------

............ n o t a b l e t o g r a s p g r a s p i n g developed

Grasping

Fear response

A b i l i t y t o s t a n d

gape r e a d i l y cowering i n n e s t

unab le t o s t a n d s t a n d i n g w e l l

ye l low orange b l a c k Color of beak

P r e e n i n g

F lapp ing of wings

none some v i g o r o u s .......................

no f l a p p i n g of wings f l a p p i n g .........................................................................

TABLE 5. Development of feather tracts in Palila nestlings*.

F e a t h e r t r a c t s 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0 1 1 ' 1 2 1 3 1 4 15 1 6 1 7 18 1 9 20 2 1 22 23 24 25

A l a r

V e n t r a l

Cauda l

C a p i t a l

* - u n s h e a t h i n g o f f e a t h e r s ; - = , , . . = p i n f e a t h e r s ; --- - f e a t h e r s c o m p l e t e l y u n s h e a t h e d .

TABLE 6 , Summary of P a l i l a nes t h i s t o r i e s from 1971 t o 1975 on Mauna Kea, Hawai' i .*

Total Number of Nests = 26

Nests with Complete R e c ~ r d s = 1 6

Total Number of Complete Clutches = 1 2

Tota l Eggs Laid = 23

Total Eggs Hatched = 15

Total Young Fledged = 1 2

Hatching Success = 65,2%

~ e s t l i n g Success = 80,0%

Reproductive Success = 52.2%

* See Appendix I fo r complete nes t h i s t o r i e s .

MAUNA KEA

P A R K E R R A N C H MANAGEMENT

HENOLOGY PLOT

1980 METER STUDY

KAOHE GAME MANAGEMENT AREA

.- -/ 0 0.5 miles I

FIGURE 1. The island of Hawai'i showing s t u d y s i tes on Mauna Kea.

PALlLA M O L T - I 1 1 I I I I I I J F M A M J J A S O N D

Month

FIGURE 2. The y e a r l y molt p a t t e r n i n t h e P a l i l a a s recorded from s i x banded b i r d s , 36 museum s k i n s , and f i e l d observa t ions .

DAILY SONG CYCLE

FIGURE 3. The daily song cycle of the,Palila on Mauna Kea, Hawai'i. Numbers denote hours of observations.

- 8

-28 , 12 5

3 A

0600 noon 1800

T i m e o f Day

o M a l e Chase Female Chase

0 N o A g g r e s i o n

A P . - - b . Nest 5 - 7 3

nest t ree

FIGURE 4 . T e r r i t o r i a l encoun te r s and proposed boundary d u r i n g n e s t b u i l d i n g and e a r l y i n c u b a t i o n a t P a l i l a n e s t 5-73.

Nest Height (m)

FIGURE 5. The r e l a t i o n s h i p between 26 P a l i l a n e s t h e i g h t s and n e s t - t r e e h e i g h t s i n mamane and na io t r e e s on Mauna Kea, H a w a i ' i .

d EGG TURNING

Days

FIGURE 7. Frequency of egg turn ing by female P a l i l a a s measured a t s i x n e s t s during 87 hours of observat ion. Numbers denote hours of observation. w

VI

FIGURE 8. P a l i l a brooding r a t e as measured a t four n e s t s during 2 1 1 hours of observat ion. Numbers denote hours of observat ion.

- BROODING R A T E

Day of Nest l ing Period .

F E E D I N G RATE - Female P***CI Male

,Day o f Nestl ing Period'

FIGURE 9. The number of hourly feeding sess ions a t a n e s t f o r each n e s t l i n g by male and female P a l i l a a s measured a t four n e s t s during 222 hours of observation. Numbers denote hours of observation.

FIGURE 10. Palila nest and young with fecal accumulation evident on the nest rim.

fl ESTLING WEIGHT 2-egg clutches

0 3-egg clutches

D a y of Nestling Period

FIGURE 11. Da i ly n e s t l i n g weights of P a l i l a young from seven n e s t l i n g s a t f o u r n e s t s . Circles are means and v e r t i c a l l i n e s +95% C.I.

1 I I 1 I I I I I I I I I I OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEE. MAR. APR. MAY JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT OCT NOV. C

MONTH

FIGURE 1 2 . Cgmparison of t h e P a l i l a breeding season w i t h molt and mamane pod production.

APPENDIX I 4 1

P a l i l a n e s t h i s t o r i e s f rom Mauna Kea, Hawai'i

Nest D a t e Egg s Egg s Young Number S t a r t e d La id Hatched F l edged Reasons f o r F a i l u r e

- 1-72 29 May 2 2 2

1-73 29 May 2 1 0 F a i l u r e t o h a t c h ; Young d i e d i n n e s t

2-73 1 0 J u n e 0 0 0 D e s e r t e d

4-73 28 Mar + 2+ 2

5-73 8 J u l y 2 0 0 D e s e r t e d

6-73 1 May + 1 + 1

3-74 29 A p r i l + 2+ 2

4-74 8 J u n e 2 2 2

6-74 30 J u n e 2+ 0 0 Poor n e s t c o n s t r u c t i o n

. 7-74 1 J u n e 2 2 0 Weather

8-74 28 A p r i l + 2+ 1+

9-74 20 J u l y 1 0 0 D e s e r t e d

10-74 1 7 J u n e 2+ 0 0

11-74 1 J u n e + 1 + 0 Died i n n e s t

12-74 1 J u l y + 1+ 1

15-74 3 S e p t 0 0 0 D e s e r t e d

1-75 24 J u n e 2 2 2

2-75 1 5 J u l y 2 0 0 F a i l u r e t o h a t c h

3-75 1 J u l y 0 0 0 D e s e r t e d

4-75 1 6 J u l y 2 2 2

6-75 20 J u l y 2 2 2

7-75 1 5 Aug 2 0 0 D e s e r t e d r.

9-75 6 Aug 2 2 2

11-75 1 5 Aug + 2 1+

13-75 29 Aug 0 0 0 D e s e r t e d

15-75 25 J u l y + 3.+ 1

+ = i n c o m p l e t e n e s t h i s t o r y ; n o t u sed i n d e t e r m i n a t i o n o f s u c c e s s .